


There's Hope In Patience

by AkumaMatata



Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Aged-Up Character(s), Alternate Universe - Flower Shop & Tattoo Parlor, Angst, Eventual Romance, F/M, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Identity Reveal, It's not that slow though, Minor Swearing, Not Beta Read, Slow Burn, Years Later, not quite the au you think it will be
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-06-04
Updated: 2019-09-23
Packaged: 2020-04-07 15:04:45
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 13
Words: 27,714
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19087483
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AkumaMatata/pseuds/AkumaMatata
Summary: Hawkmoth has mysteriously ended his reign and while Marinette and Adrien still have their miraculouses, they no longer moonlight as Ladybug and Chat Noir. Unfortunately, since the butterfly miraculous has still yet to be returned to Master Fu, it is still unsafe to reveal their secret identities to each other.Years have passed and now Marinette is a part time student who has a job at a flowershop near her parents' bakery. Adrien has cut himself off from his father and is now roommates with old classmate Nathanael Kurtzberg, who just happens to work at the tattoo parlor next door to a very cute flower shop.Everyone seems to be living their lives well, that is, until... Hawkmoth decides finally to come out of hiding.





	1. Charming

**Author's Note:**

> Listen. This is my first fic ever and I haven't written stories in a really long time but I made an account here to share this. I hope you enjoy it. It's not perfect, but I like the idea.
> 
> My current title is kind of lame, I'm sure I can come up with something better.

**Prologue**

"Looks like Hawkmoth has finally given up," Chat Noir said a little uneasily.  
"How can we be sure? Just because he has shown up or akumatized anyone in the last 3 months doesn't mean he gave up. He probably still has the Miraculous - or worse, what if someone stole the miraculous from him before we could--"  
"My Lady," Chat Noir interrupted, "It's over. It has to be."  
"We don't know for sure, Chat," Ladybug sighed. She looked up at Chat and immmediately recognized the disappointment in his face. "We can't. Not yet. Not until we know for certain that he's done, not until we return the butterfly miraculous to Master Fu."  
Chat Noir begrudgingly nodded, and turned away. "I understand."

As far as Paris could tell, Hawkmoth had ended his reign. He made no announcement. Akumas came to an abrupt halt and not even Ladybug or Chat Noir could explain why. After a year without akumas, the people of Paris finally felt comfortable, as if life was finally going back to the ordinary. Master Fu however, was still deeply concerned.  
"Marinette," he said, "you and Chat Noir must continue to keep your identities secret. You must continue to hold onto your miraculous until Hawkmoth is captured and the reign of the butterfly miraculous terrorism comes to a true and final end."  
"How... how am I supposed to explain this to Chat?" Marinette didn't want to give up Tikki certainly, nor did she truly want to give up being Ladybug, but if there were no supervillians to fight anymore, what was the point, just lying in wait? Couldn't she just run back to Master Fu to retrieve the miraculous if Hawkmoth returned?  
"Don't worry about Chat Noir," he said, "I will explain the situation to him as I did with you. Go ahead and go home, Ladybug."  
Marinette nodded.

Master Fu appeared as Adrien's subsitute Mandarin tutor once more to break the news. "But... don't you think Ladybug and I... how can we just not know our secret identities? What if we never find the butterfly miraculous? What if--"  
"You will know the right time, Adrien."  
And with that, he left. He left Adrien in a perplexing pit of anguish, wondering if he should ever transform ever again. _What would be the point?_   he thought. He looked up at his computer screen, at the photo of him with his mother. _I know what you'd say_ , he thought. _Never give up hope_.

  
**Present Time**

The miraculous heroes Ladybug and Chat Noir have not been seen for a number of years. They never publicly retired, but they didn't suddenly go missing either. It seemed that they gradually faded away, as if perhaps they never really existed in the first place. Everyone remembers them and the reign of Hawkmoth more like legends that happened eons ago instead of their average day of walking to school.

Marinette, now a part-time student at University, works at a flowershop not too far from her parents' bakery. She still lives at home, but to afford school and her sanity, she really wanted a job outside of the bakery. She applied to a few, but the flower shop drew her in immediately. She asked Tikki if it had anything to do with the ladybug miraculous but Tikki simply shrugged. Only the guardians understood the magic of the miraculous. While Marinette has tea with Master Fu every other Sunday to learn more about being a guardian and understanding the miraculouses, there were still many questions left unanswered. She wondered if Chat Noir had a thing for catnip. She also wondered how he was doing in general because in all honesty she had no idea. Saying goodbye to Chat was quite possibly the hardest thing she has ever done!

Not too long after Hawkmoth ended his reign both she and Chat Noir had a long talk about what they should do and what they wanted to do. They both agreed they should respect Master Fu's wishes, but they also agreed that if they kept doing the whole superhero thing, there would be no way they could hold out for eternity. They were both curious about their identities and being so close just wasn't safe. They decided that they would stop, but gradually. They panned out their patrol duties and bad-guy-fighting over a year until the final day, the anniversary of when Hawkmoth began his reign, they said goodbye.  
"You know this isn't the final goodbye," Chat said. "We will see each other again. I know it." He smiled softly.  
Ladybug returned a small smile. "Yes," she said, not quite as hopeful as Chat. "We will."

When Adrien returned home that night, he cried. Saying goodbye to his best friend was so impossible that he couldn't even truly say goodbye. He couldn't even profess his feelings. Not that she wasn't aware. But they really couldn't say anything to each other of meaning without knowing their true identites. How could he profess his love to her without knowing her real name? He cried, and Plagg feeling sorry for him, and maybe even a little guilty, pushed the plate of cheese toward Adrien.  
"Cheese always makes me feel better when I feel down," he announced, but gently.  
Adrien sniffed then chuckled. "Thanks Plagg."

Nowadays Adrien's hopeless romantic self has been nearly completely replaced with a rebellious 20-something-year-old who really doesn't understand boundaries. Finally fed up with his father, he actually left. Escaped is maybe a better term. He moved out and by doing so has more or less deleted himself from the Agreste family line. No longer modeling he has been looking for work and finally found a friend to crash with. Now a tattoo artist, Nathanael from his grade school class took some pity on Adrien. He needed a roommate to pay the share of the rent anyway, and Adrien, he knew, was truly kind at heart. He couldn't turn him away.

\----

**Chapter One - Charming**

As soon as Marinette got the job at the flower shop, she ran out jumping with joy. Unbeknownst to her, an old friend just happened to be in the exact same spot she decided to jump.  
"OH GOSH, I am _so_ sorry, please forgive me I just got-oh! Nathanael! What are you doing here?"  
"Oh, uh, Marinette! Hi!" Nathanael blushed, "I uh, I work here. Well, next-door. The tattoo parlor?"  
"Really? That's amazing! We'll be neighbors then, I just got a job a the flower shop!"  
"Flowers are my specialty!"  
"Huh?"  
"I mean, I draw flowers. I mean! Tattoos! Flowers! I'm very good at drawing... I just. I'm sorry for being so flustered, Marinette. I'm not usually like this, not anymore," he mumbled, looking at his feet.  
"That's totally okay," she said gently as she touched his shoulder. "Being clumsy is MY specialty, and fudging up words is truly an art that we both have mastered over the years, right?" she laughed, "but still, I thought you liked drawing comics more, character designs and stuff like that. Do you still do that?"  
"Yeah, I'm still working on my graphic novel of the Miraculous Tales of Ladybug and Chat Noir, but something has to pay the bills. I enjoy doing tattoos. It's more...personal. And since the parlor is right by this flowershop flowers really have become my focus."  
Marinette's brain got a little lost after the mention of his comic, but she returned quickly. "That's pretty awesome, Nathanael. You'll have to show me some of your designs, who knows, maybe even I'll stop by to get a tattoo!"  
Nathanael blushed again, as she walked back to her parents' bakery two blocks down. He couldn't imagine Marinette actually getting a tattoo.

A couple months later Marinette walked into the parlor with some flowers in hand. She explained to Nathanael that she had been learning a lot about flowers and their meanings. She explained she had thought about getting a symbolic tattoo for a long time but wasn't sure what it should be until today.  
"I even have a drawing of it already," she explained, "but I'd like it done in your style."  
Nathanael looked at her, bemused, then took the sketchbook. "What are the flowers again?" he asked.  
"Anenomes, statice, and catnip."  
"Can I ask what they mean to you? It's kind of an odd combination."  
Marinette stood there, slightly dumbstruck. For some reason, she didn't think this all the way through.  
"Well, I can't explain it to you completely, but I get why it seems weird. Anenomes can symbolize fading hope but also anticipation, while statice symbolizes remembrance and sympathy, and success."  
"The catnip?"  
"That's all I can explain, sorry."  
"Well, if you want a tattoo, you know it is something you should really think about, since-"  
"I've thought about it, and I know Nathanael. I need this tattoo."  
"Okay."

Little did either of them know Marinette would be returning to the parlor quite often to add to her garden. Over the course of about two years, she had aquired quite the floral pattern filling her skin. Her arms had close to full sleeves, and vines ran down her legs as well. She and Nathanael grew closer as friends and Alya was growing worried.  
"Girl, you are messing with his head, it's not healthy!"  
"Alya, we're cool! We're just friends and I'm just giving him business!"  
"You know he was totally in love with you when we were tweens."  
"He was not totally in love with me! A crush maybe... but then Ladybug stole his heart away not soon after he was akumatized anyway. No way he would still feel that way about me NOW."  
Alya was not convinced.  
"Besides, he's not the only one who has given me these tattoos, Juleka has too!"

  
On his day off, Nathanael decided to buy some bread and a few pastries from the Dupain-Cheng Bakery. He didn't want to call Marinette, but he still wanted to feel her warmth and her parents bakery was the next best thing. While her parents had mixed feelings about him (he could tell), they were still very kind and welcoming. It was always pleasant visiting their bakery, but while he was there he noticed a family photo on the wall. Marinette was so sweet. He wondered what her love life was like at the moment. She never discussed it. He didn't want to presume she was single, but just maybe he had a chance with her now.

After the bakery he stopped to get some coffee and lo and behold, there was none other than Adrien Agreste, also getting coffee! Nathanael almost didn't recognize him. He looked like he had not slept in a few days... or showered for that matter. Reaching for the chair opposite him, Nathanael sat down. "Want a pastry?" he asked.  
Adrien shot his head up, not having realized someone had sat down in front of him. His eyes widened at the food but softened quickly once he looked up.  
"...Nathanael? What are you doing here? Um, are you sure? They look delicious. Sorry."  
Nathanael smirked. Adrien had been occasionally awkward when they were in school together but never this out of it. "Yeah, I'm sure, Adrien. How have you been?"  
Adrien shoved a pastry in his mouth immmediately.  
"...no offense, but you look terrible," Nathanael remarked, watching him scarf a second pastry down.  
Adrien was quiet after he finished the second pastry. "Yeah, well... thanks for noticing."  
"Are you okay?"  
"I'm fine. Well, I'm not actually fine, but I'm okay. Actually I'm not sure. I'm actually... I uh... I know we weren't ever really close friends back in school but can you promise to keep a secret?"  
This day was getting weirder and weirder by the second. Nathanael nodded.  
"I'm homeless."  
"You. Adrien Agreste. Are homeless."  
"I finally quit."  
"Quit what exactly?"  
"Being an Agreste. I'm done. I'm out. I won't be modeling anymore, I'm... I'm not my father's son anymore. Not like I ever was in the first place, really. But I just... I finally had the last straw with my father. I found out something about him that I could never forgive and with all the shit I've put up with from him my entire life, especially since after my mother's disappearance... I mean, I didn't know where to go exactly, but I left. I've been cut off, officially. Or at least, I think I am. I don't know."  
Adrien looked up, realizing he'd been talking to the bag of pastries the entire time. "Where'd these pastries come from anyway? They're not from this coffeeshop."  
Not knowing what else to say Nathanael told him they were from the Dupain-Cheng bakery.  
"Of course they're from Marinette's parents' place, man I miss her bringing her dad's crossaints and macarons to class, that was the best. They also make amazing quiche. And choquets!"  
"Sounds like you could eat their entire stock of goods!"  
"Man if I could I would. I'd buy them out. I wouldn't put them out of business! No, I just... I guess I'm still hungry. If I could live in their bakery..." Adrien trailed off, not knowing what else to say. He couldn't actually live in a bakery. He slumped in his chair.  
"So, Adrien... where are you staying now?" Nathanael asked hesitantly.  
Adrien rubbed the back of his neck nervously.  
"You're actually homeless, have you been sleeping on the streets?" Adrien looked bad, but not THAT bad.  
"Well, not exactly. I've been staying at the Bourgeois hotel, but Chloe JUST found me out and talking to her has never been exactly easy, you know? I'm not sure where else I can go. Or where I can find a job either! I've never had to do this before, whatever... whatever this is," he said, gesturing vaguely.  
"Do you mean," Nathanael said with a slight smirk, "being an adult?"  
"Yeah!" Adrien exclaimed. "Well no, not exactly," he redacted. "Okay, yeah," he muttered.  
Nathanael smiled genuinely this time. "Look," he said, "I actually have been looking for a roommate for while now and maybe--"  
Adrien's eyes lit up like a Christmas tree.  
"MAYBE you can stay with me, but you need to find a job, okay? I can't keep paying the total rent cost, I can't afford it, so--"  
Adrien flew across the small table to embrace his new roommate. "YES! I WILL FIND A JOB, I PROMISE YOU! IT COULD BE ANYTHING REALLY, I DON'T CARE! A JANITOR, A GROCERY STORE CLERK! I COULD---" Adrien paused abruptly. "Do you think the Dupain-Cheng bakery is hiring?"  
Nathanael laughed out loud, but as Adrien squeezed him tighter, he suddenly felt anxious. He wasn't sure why.  
\----  
Nathanael didn't ask any questions about the last straw with Adrien's father, but he could easily guess it was something that had to do with control. Adrien had been fighting for control from his father his entire life. Nathanael had never felt too sorry for him though, because Adrien was always a popular kid. He was famous, all the girls liked him, heck, even all the boys liked him! He wasn't just a pretty face. He was nice, smart, and he cared about everyone he interacted with. Nathanael honestly felt a little resentful towards him, because Nathanael tried to be all of those things, but he was never popular. Girls never really liked him and he was bullied for it all the time. It's not like his home life was perfect either. He had a reason for moving out too. Offering Adrien a place to live wasn't exactly out of the kindness of his heart, or even out of pity... it felt more out of spite. He finally felt like he had won something... but it didn't feel like winning at all. In the end, he knew it was the right thing to do. He wasn't about to let Adrien be homeless, or worse, beg Chloe to let him live with her. Besides, they could become real friends. Neither of them have many of those.

After they finished discussing some details at the coffeeshop, they walked back to the bakery so Adrien could ask if they were hiring.  
"Adrien, dear, is that you! We haven't seen you in quite some now!" Sabine exclaimed.  
"Yes, Mrs. Cheng, uhm," Adrien began.  
"And Nathanael, we just saw you only an hour ago, already back?"  
"Yes Mrs. Cheng, I just bumped into Adrien and he wanted to ask you something if you're not too busy."  
"Well, I'm afraid were extremely busy since Marinette can no longer help us out on weekdays, but we will be closing up for lunch in about an hour, will that be all right?"  
Adrien nodded fiercely, and anxiously twiddled his thumbs as he sat down in the one empty chair in the bakery. Nathanael noticed some people around him gasping and pointing. "Uh, Adrien, maybe we shouldn't wait here?"  
Sabine immediately noticed the issue. "Go ahead up the stairs, Nathanael, why don't you make some tea in the kitchen while you wait?"  
"Thank you Mrs. Cheng," Nathanael said as he dragged oblivous Adrien up the stairs.  
"I wonder why Marinette can't help on the weekdays," Adrien mumbled, "Does she not live at home anymore either?"  
Nathanael, having been to Marinette's place many times, quickly found the kettle and began filling it with water. "You didn't keep in touch with any of your classmates?"  
"Well, I try to hang out with Nino every once and while but my father didn't approve of most of my friendships. He especially didn't approve of Nino, but yeah, I guess I didn't try hard to reach out to everyone else either. After... after Hawkmoth disappeared... I just, I don't know. Things changed."  
Adrien continued his silence as the kettle whistled and Nathanael poured water into the mug with the tea bag inside it. Ever since storming out of the family mansion he had been trying to keep his mind a blank slate. He needed to not only protect himself, but everyone else as well. He didn't regret running into Nathanael though, he really couldn't be homeless forever. Plagg would never shut up if he couldn't feed him the cheese he wanted and Adrien probably wouldn't forgive himself if he simply renounced the ring. He couldn't hide his anxiety though. It was starting to seep through. He needed something to keep all of it off his mind. A job at the best bakery in Paris? It would be perfect. Plagg would never complain again!  
"Marinette still lives at home."  
"Huh?"  
"Marinette," Nathanael said. "She hasn't left. She's doing University part-time and also works part-time. She wouldn't have been able to save much money by working at her parents' bakery so she found a job nearby, but she still lives at home."  
"Oh," was all Adrien replied with. Of course she still lived at home and was studying at a University. Probably fashion design he guessed. He glanced at some of the photos hanging up of young Marinette and her family and friends. He smiled softly and reached for something in his pocket and pulled it out to look.  
"What's that?" Nathanael said with a funny face.  
"It's Marinette's lucky charm. She gave it to me a long time ago, back when we were almost teenagers? It was that time where we were going to compete in a video game on behalf of the school. She was the best and she amazed me every time she played and she told me her secret was this lucky charm she made." Adrien held it up and let it dangle a little bit above his tea. "I've kept it in my pocket it ever since."  
"Did she make a second lucky charm for herself after she gave up that one?"  
"Oh I'm not sure," Adrien said as he slipped it back in his pocket. "I made her one though, for her birthday that year. I wonder if she still has it?"  
Nathanael made another funny face. The charm Adrien pulled out was very similar to the one attached to Marinette's purse that she carried everywhere with her. Before Nathanael or Adrien could any anything more about he matter, Sabine was up the stairs with a large quiche, to Adrien's pure delight.  
"So Adrien dear, you wanted to talk to us about something?"  
"Uh, yes! I wanted to ask if you were at all hiring... or would be considering taking on a baking apprentice of sorts? I would be happy to ease some of the stress on the weekdays Marinette isn't here..." he trailed off not knowing how else to ask for the job.  
"Is this you looking for a new experience Adrien or do you need a job? No longer a supermodel?" She asking, smiling.  
"Spot on, Mrs. Cheng," he said nervously, rubbing the back of his neck.  
Her facial expression changed from kind to worrisome.  
Nathanael finished his tea and rinsed the mug in the sink. "Adrien," he said, "I have to stop by the parlor to get some of my sketchbooks before I go home. Are you okay here?"  
"Yeah, Nath. Thanks. I will see you later."  
Nathanael nodded, thanked Mrs. Cheng for the tea, and said goodbye to Mr. Dupain on his way out. He already heard this story once and he got the impression Adrien didn't want to get embarrassed twice in front of the same person.

On his way he stopped in the flower shop. He thought maybe adding some flowers to table in his apartment would be a little bit more welcoming to his new roommate, but this was mostly an excuse to see Marinette.  
"How're my folks doing then, huh?" she said behind him. Nathanael nearly jumped out of his socks. "Don't sneak up on me like that, Marinette! And they're fine, it looks like they might be hiring some help!"  
Marinette started to laugh but then stopped at him explaining hired help. "Can they afford that though? I know I'm not there to help out most of the time but--"  
"They're really busy now Marinette, I think they just need an extra person during the week. And I think they've picked the right guy."  
"You know him?"  
"Yeah he's my new roommate."  
"You didn't tell me you were getting a roommate!"  
"Well I didn't know until today, I just ran into him."  
"How can you do that, be roommates with someone you just met?"  
"You don't believe in roomies-at-first-sight, do you?"  
Marinette scoffed. "Did you come in here just to tease me or are you buying a bouquet?"  
Nathanael gripped the nearly empty bag of pastries just a little bit tighter. "I wanted to buy some flowers for the apartment. Just to make it a little more home-like. For my new roommate. I think he needs it."  
"Oh," her face softened. "Does he have any prefernces?"  
"I think something bright would cheer him up. What about some marigolds? Or sunflowers?"  
Marinette pulled out a small pot with filled with dirt and some marigolds.  
"I didn't say a full plant, Marinette, I was just going to put some flowers in a vase."  
"Well I disagree. If he needs some cheering up, he needs a plant to tend to, to care for. You can teach him like taught you."  
"Yeah, I suppose. Um, Marinette?" he asked, after paying for the plant.  
"Yes?"  
"Can I ask you where that charm on your purse came from?"  
Marinette blushed a deep crimson.  
"You don't have to tell me," he said with a half-hearted chuckle, already knowing the answer.  
"No, it's not.. it's not that, I just... why are you suddenly asking?"  
"I guess I never noticed it before," Nathanael replied, disappointed with her reaction. "Anyway, I better get going. New roommate and all."  
"Right. You'll have to introduce me some time."  
Nathanael pretended not to hear that last part as he walked out the door.

Marinette has never talked about it with him, but he knew she had the biggest crush, out of everyone in the school, on The Adrien Agreste. Everyone knew. She may have even been in love with him, but was it really love? She could barely talk to him, from what he remembers. He knew, however, after asking about the charm, that crush didn't fade. While he knew them running into each other was now going to be inevitable, he was going to try to put it off for as long as he possibly could. He had... a few days, at best. As he contemplated the outcome on his way up to his apartment he heard a faint shriek of terror in the distance. His heart thudded. That sound could only mean one thing.

Hawkmoth was back.

\---

After leaving the bakery and promising to show up bright and early tomorrow morning, Adrien was beaming.  
"So how about that, Plagg? You'll have access to all the cheese pastries you could ever desire!"  
"FINALLY making some decent choices in your life I see!"  
"I hope so-" he said, but was interuppted by a loud shriek that echoed in the air. His voice grew low, "it was only a matter of time, wasn't it?"  
"What do you mean? Hawkmoth has been gone for years! Why turn up right as things were getting good?" Plagg nearly sobbed.  
Without answering Adrien shouted, "Plagg, transforme-moi!"

\---

Marinette blinked. Why was Nathanael suddenly interested in the lucky charm Adrien gave her for her 15th birthday? Why was she so embarrassed by it?  
"That was strange," Tikki remarked as she flew out of Marinette's purse.  
"Yeah, it was odd. But now that I think about it, why do I even keep it anyway? It's not like he'd have the one I gave him still, right? I don't... I don't even really have feelings for him anymore. He kind of dropped out of everyone's life after we all graduated!"  
"You hold onto hope like no other Ladybug has had before," Tikki answered. "Just look at all of your tattoos. Nearly every single one is some kind of symbol of hope. It's actually very fitting Marinette. Ladybug is a beacon of hope."  
"One: I am no longer Ladybug, Tikki. Just Marinette. Two: I guess you're right about my tattoos. Most of the flowers I get are every time I'm reminded we still haven't found the butterfly miraculous, or that, Chat and I still cannot reveal our identities. Some of them are for when I miss being Ladybug. When I miss being a superhero. I'm hopeful that it will all change sometime soon."  
"You're still Ladybug, Marinette," Tikki laughed. "You always will be."  
Marinette smiled and started cleaning up shop. It was almost time to go home, when a deafening shriek pierced the air. A chill ran down Marinette's spine.  
"Tikki?" Marinette whispered, "Transforme-moi."

\-----

 


	2. Very Well, Chat Noir

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Looks like Hawkmoth is back to akumatizing the people of Paris, will Ladybug and Chat Noir finally defeat him once and for all?  
>  Will Alya discover Ladybug and Chat Noir's secret relationship?  
> Does Master Fu know what's really going on?
> 
> Read this chapter to find out more ;)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi. I hope you like this next chapter. There's not a whole lot of action, maybe a little similar to the original Stormy Weather 2.0 episode, but I know y'all's imagination is just about as wild as Alya's.

"ATTENTION LADYBLOGGERS," Alya shouted, phone raised high, facing her as she began running down toward the Eiffel tower, "There appears to be a supervillain running amuck and I am on my way to find out if our favorite legendary superheroes will return to demand its defeat! I know we have questions! Is Hawkmoth back after all this time? Will there be akumas taking over left and right on a daily basis once more, or is this a brand-new-"  
"DUDE!" a young man interrupted, "ALYA!"  
"Nino!" Alya practically spat as she stopped to breathe, "You know I have to record this! It's in my job description!"  
Nino looked exhausted, clearly had chased after her for a few minutes already. "Just... just be safe, okay dude?"  
"You got it, my dude," she said with a wink, and sprinted off. Yeah, there was never any stopping his girlfriend from her obssession. He hoped it WAS Hawkmoth, and not some crazy new villain... at least if it was an akuma he knew Ladybug and Chat Noir would put a stop to it like they always did.

Alya kept running to get closer to the chaos that continued to travel. It was hard to see exactly who the villain was by the amount of chaos they were causing.  
"Ladybloggers, I know I can't quite see with my own eyes but I am currently zooming in with my phone as much as I can to get the details from this distance! This guy is crazy quick and it's hard to keep up, I-wait-is- IS THAT STORMY WEATHER?" Alya gaped, nearly dropping her phone. "NO JOKE, LADYBLOGGERS, ALYA AS YOUR SOLEMN WITNESS I BELIEVE HAWKMOTH HAS RETURNED AND--" Alya switched the camera on the phone to face her again, "HE'S GONE FOR THE FAMILIAR! Poor Aurora, that Hawkmoth has gotten LAZY on his return I can't believe he just--" A huge gust of wind threw Alya off her feet into a street lamp. Getting up like it was nothing, she adjusted her glasses, "Ladybloggers, I am here to tell you what I believe is true, Hawkmoth has returned, but he's grasping at straws! Does he really think, even after all this time, he can defeat our Ladybug and Chat Noir with the same akumas?" _If Ladybug and Chat Noir ever show up that is_ , she thought to herself. As soon as her thought finished, she lifted her head to the skies only to immediately make eye contact with Stormy Weather herself. Alya has never been one to scream from terror, but as soon as Stormy Weather spotted her, she began moving a tsunami directly at her at a terrifying speed. Alya shrieked.

  
\---

  
Marinette was nervous. She hadn't been Ladybug for years. She was a little afraid to face an akuma after all this time, but she recognized that shriek. That was Alya, her best friend, no doubt too close to the action once again. Typical!  
In seconds Ladybug swung into the hurricane that was circling the Eiffel tower and Stormy Weather right in the eye.  
"Long time no see," Chat Noir said just loud enough for her to hear him arrive. He had a stern look on his face.  
"No cat puns on our first day back, Chat?" Ladybug as they kept getting closer, "Pretty unlike you!"  
Chat Noir chuckled, "No need to be catty, My Lady. I actually have been thinking about how we can defeat Hawkmoth... but you're not going to like it," and his stern look returned as they reached the eye. "You might want to reign in the tide, Stormy Weather!"  
Stormy Weather's attention turned, as well as her tsunami, away from Alya.  
"Chat, you can't just say things like that without thinking!" Ladybug snapped.  
"We could probably use some luck, Ladybug!"  
"LUCKY CHARM!" Marinette shouted over the waves crashing down on them.  
The water levels dispersed leaving the soaked superheroes vulnerable to their villain.  
"Hello Ladybug and Chat Noir," Stormy Weather started, "My name is-"  
"We want to hear from Hawkmoth directly," Chat sputtered, nearly slipping as he shot up with his baton readied.  
Stormy Weather paused, at first perplexed. Then her face grew dark and practically glowed with possession. "Very well, Chat Noir."  
Ladybug eyes widened. That was Hawkmoth's voice. He sounded much older. And tired, even.  
"It's time to give up your miraculous, Hawkmoth. You've done enough. Paris is over your terrorism and torture!"  
Stormy Weather's mouth let out a slow, deep maniacal laugh. "I thought you might be wondering why I've returned at this time. I didn't think you would presume-"  
Chat Noir cried out "Cataclysm!" and grabbed Stormy Weather's umbrella. It turned to dust.  
Auora fell to her knees, absolutely confused. Marinette, still holding her unused lucky charm, blinked.  
"My Lady, the akuma?"  
"Right!" Ladybug jumped up and caught the butterfly with her yo-yo and rid it of its evil.  
"Hi Aurora," Chat said gently as he offered a hand, "I hope you are pawsitively all right. Do you remember why or when exactly Hawkmoth akumatized you?"  
"I... I don't, really. I don't even remember feeling upset!" Aurora smoothed out her dress. "I think maybe he just remembered that he akumatized me before and he was confident he could do it again. I remember feeling overpowered, but this time it was different. Like... he wouldn't allow me to use my emotions. I thought the akumas were emotion-based? It was strange. I'm so sorry, Chat Noir, and Ladybug. I... I never thought this would happen ever again."  
"Don't be so hard on yourself," Ladybug smiled softly. "Nobody expected this, he came out of nowhere. We will get to the bottom of it and stop him at last, I promise."  
"Thanks, Ladybug. It's... it's good to have you back."  
Ladybug nodded, and threw her lucky charm into the air with a big shout, "Miraculous LADYBUG!" and all of the little magical ladybugs reverted Paris back to normal once again.  
"Now, Chat, I only have a minute left," she said, touching her earrings, "but we need to talk, you said that you think you have a way to defeat Hawkmoth?"  
Chat looked down, guiltily. "I don't think you'll agree to it."  
Alarm spread through her face.  
"It's not that it's actually a bad idea, my Lady! No one would get hurt, it's just-" well, not physcially hurt, probably, "I know-no, I-"  
"Chat I have 30 seconds!"  
"We'd have to reveal our identities."  
Ladybug blinked.  
"Well, at least, I'd have to reveal mine to you."  
"We can't."  
"I told you wouldn't like it," he shrugged.  
"UGh Chat! It's not that! It's just, you know we can't! Master Fu said--"  
"Master Fu told me I would know when the time was right."  
Marinette looked at him for 2 seconds and then hugged him fiercely for another 2 seconds. "I have to go, mon Chaton! We will figure this out, I promise! I'm late for tea! Bug out!"  
Chat Noir's ring began to beep just as Alya caught up to the action.  
"Are you serious, is Ladybug already gone? I thought--" Adrien turned around to explain what happened as briefly as possible but then "oh my GOD DID I JUST MISS A KISS DO NOT TELL ME I JUST MISSED-"  
Adrien, still blushing from Ladybug hugging him, quickly composed himself. "Well I _am_ the cat's meow, aren't I?" He winked at Alya, and then flew off with his baton to transform in a more private locaton.

  
\----

  
"Master Fu! I'm sorry I'm late, I--"  
"Hawkmoth is back," he said pensively.  
"Master," Marinette said a little more slowly, "Chat Noir... he thinks he knows how to defeat him. For real this time, I think."  
"How? How could he suddenly know now?" Wayzz said from behind Fu.  
"Perhaps Chat Noir has discovered Hawkmoth's true identity," Master Fu said quietly.  
"What?!" both Wayzz and Tikki exclaimed.  
"Do you think Hawkmoth knows Chat Noir's identity?" Marinette asked.  
"There is no way to be sure, but we could ask what Chat Noir thinks. We should also ask for the details of his plan."  
Marinette looked down at the cup of tea that Master Fu just handed her. "All I know that it involves revealing our identities and... as much as I want to, I don't think that's wise. Do you?"  
"That is quite intriguing that it would require you to reveal your identities, I wonder why that is."  
"Maybe Hawkmoth is someone Chat Noir already knows," Wayzz suggested.  
"That would certainly be troubling news," Master Fu said as he stroked his beard. "Because if that is true, then my initial suspicions may have been correct, and Chat Noir may not be safe where he is."  
Marinette bit her lip. She had no idea what Master Fu was implying. _Doesn't Chat Noir have a family? Who could Hawkmoth be in his life that he knows? His boss?_  
"Marinette, I will need you to transform into Ladybug to contact Chat Noir. It is likely the safest way to reach him."  
"But what if he is not transformed? It might take a while."  
"Then we will wait, Ladybug."

  
\---

  
Adrien showed up to the address Nathanael gave him after picking up some cheese for Plagg. _I hope Nathanael doesn't get suspicious over a cabinet of cheese_ , he thought. He didn't bring much with him. When he left his family's mansion he didn't take much besides a few changes of clothes, the basic necessities, and some Camembert for Plagg. The only thing from his father that he took was his blue scarf that he received for his birthday a long time ago. It was the one item that reminded him his father cared, once.

> "Why would bring something that reminds you he cared if he doesn't care? That's ridiculous," Plagg remarked when he was packing his things.  
>  "I don't know Plagg, I guess I still have a sliver of hope in me that he'll change some day. I've always believed there's good in everyone and if I give that up, then it's like letting him win."  
>  "Sure there's good in everyone, like there's good in every cheese!"  
>  Adrien rolled his eyes. Thinking with his stomach, as always. "Don't worry Plagg, I've packed plenty for you."

Adrien knocked on the door, nervously.  
It opened, and Nathanael gave him a funny look. "How did you get in without me buzzing you in?"  
"Nice to see you again as well," Adrien laughed a little more high-pitched than usual. "Someone was going at the same time I arrived so I just went in behind them."  
"Oh," was all Nathanael replied with. "Well, come in, I can show you the place. Do you need help bringing anything in or?"  
"This is it! I mean, I'll work on getting some furniture I guess, but yeah. I'll be able to pay for stuff in no time now that I have job!"  
"Congratulations! I knew they wouldn't turn you down," Nathanael smiled, almost half-heartedly. _It was going to be inevitable_ , he thought again as Adrien noticed the flower pot on the kitchen table. "Those are from my friend at the flower shop," he explained. "She thought you could use something to take care of."  
"You told her about me?"  
_Ah, damn it--_ "Actually I went in to buy some flowers for the kitchen table just to make it a little more welcoming for you but she insisted it be something a little more permament for you to have."  
"Like a pet?" Adrien laughed, but inside he was truly touched.  
"Exactly, actually. Gives you a little bit of your own personal responsibility. While you take care of it, it will remind you to take care of yourself."  
"Sounds like you are familiar with her methods, who is this flowershop girl?"  
"You'll run into her sooner or later," he answered. "There's some leftovers in the fridge if you are hungry. After seeing what's happened on the news I'm not so hungry."  
"Yeah, the akuma," Adrien breathed as his face fell. "Hawkmoth is back."  
"I just can't be akumatized again, you know?"  
"Yeah I know."  
"Do you, though? Adrien, were you ever akumatized? How were you so cool and collected all the time? Hawkmoth never noticed you, but your face was plastered on every billboard in Paris!"  
Adrien blinked. "I... I'm not sure. I just hope he doesn't find me now," he said, self-disappointment oozing from his tone. _How did I not see that?_  
There was a pause, and Nathanael realized he just accused Adrien of a lack of crime. "Adrien, God, I'm- shit, Adrien, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to get all worked up like that. It's just. I heard that scream from before and then I saw the news, and then you just came back -"  
"It's no big deal, Nathanael. I'm just glad we're safe now." _For now._  
"Since you don't have a bed yet you're free to sleep on the couch. I'm sorry I don't have much else to offer at the moment."  
"The couch is perfect."

  
\----

  
"Master Fu, it has already been a few hours, my parents are going to start to worry!"  
"All right, Ladybug," he said. "I'd check on your journalist friend before you get back home though."  
"OH MY GOSH," Marinette pancicked, "ALYA!"  
As soon as she got out the door she called her friend, ignoring the 25 text messages and voicemails that she left while Marinette's cell phone had been on silent.  
"GIRL," she yelled, "YOU ARE NOT GOING TO BELIEVE-"  
"I saw that Hawkmoth is back?" Marinette said, not knowing exactly where to tread.  
"WELL, duh, of course that, but I'M PRETTY SURE LADYBUG AND CHAT NOIR MADE OUT AND I TOTALLY MISSED IT!"  
Marinette threw her phone away from her in shock but immediately caught it. "What are you talking about Alya!"  
"I was there, Marinette, I was THERE! As soon as I got to them, Aurora had already left and Ladybug just bounced, but Chat Noir was blushing BEYOND BELIEF and I swear TO GOD I will NEVER forgive myself for not being there SOONER, their FIRST REUNION BACK AS SUPERHEROES AND I FREAKIN' MISSED-"  
"Wait what do you mean first reunion back 'as superheroes'?"  
"Well there's just no way they don't meet without their masks, am I right? They _have_ to know each other, they looked so in synch while fighting together again, I mean I know I saw from a distance but still, there's just no way-"  
Marinette let Alya go on describing the events that happened and all of her theories. It gave her this bizarre feeling inside her stomach, not knowing who Chat Noir really was, and that Alya was convinced she did. Of course, Alya not knowing her own secret identity also gave her weird feelings in her stomach, but this felt different. She did want to know who he was, she wanted them to share their identites so they could be doing all the things Alya was imagining-WELL NOT ALL THE THINGS, Marinette blushed a deep tomato red. Alya had a wild imagination.  
When Marinette arrived home her parents practically tackled her but after assuring them a million times she was okay and she was nowhere near the akuma attack, she was able to go upstairs to her room and just breathe. She had a million things on her mind. She traced her fingers on her very first tattoo. This had been her method of calming herself down in times of stress for a good while now. It reminded her that not all hope was lost. She wished Chat Noir could have elaborated a little more on the reasons behind his plan but she also didn't give him the chance to. She felt strangely afraid of finally defeating Hawkmoth. Of finding out who was behind the mask. Even more so, she was afraid of finding out who Chat really was. He couldn't possibly be anyone she knew of course, but what if... what if their friendship changed after they'd reveal their identities? Would they lose touch like Adrien did years ago? Or would they become closer?  
God, Adrien. She missed him every day. Why did Nathanael have to ask about her lucky charm? She thought she was over him but for every flower she had tattooed in hope of meeting Chat once again, she had another for Adrien. He was such a beautiful person. A handsome, beautiful-  
"Marinette," Tikki squeaked.  
Marinette's eyes popped open.  
"Chat Noir is on your balcony."


	3. A Bumpy Beginning

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Chat Noir stops at Marinette's balcony, Ladybug tries to get more information out of Chat Noir, Adrien starts his first day at the Dupain-Cheng bakery, and Marinette has lunch with Nathanael. What could go wrong?

"TIKKI, HIDE," Marinette whispered as Marinette herself got down from her bed as quietly and quickly as possible.  
"Where are you going, aren't you going to talk to him?"  
"I can't talk to him as Marinette! I need to call him and ask more questions! As Ladybug!"  
"But Master Fu isn't here!"   
"Master Fu is going to have to wait, we're going to the bathroom to transform, Tikki!"  
"I don't think that's safe, Marinette, What if Chat hears you? Or recognizes your bathroom? He'd know who you are immediately!"  
"How could he possibly-ugh, never mind Tikki, I'm grabbing a blanket and a flashlight. We are still going to the bathroom!"  
Marinette tiptoed her way to the bathroom and locked the door and gently as possible. She climbed into the bathtub which was thankfully dry and pulled the blanket over head.  
"Tikki, transforme-moi!"  
Now as Ladybug, Marinette turned on her flashlight and called Chat Noir through her magical yo-yo.  
"My Lady?"  
"Finally!" Marinette whispered loudly. "I have been trying to reach you all day since the akuma attack! Where have you been? Are you okay? What are you doing out so late anyway? Never mind, it doesn't matter-"  
"I'm okay, Ladybug," Chat said with a tired smile. "It's purrty nice to know how much you care."  
"And THERE's the Chat I love and know so well," she said with a smirk.   
Chat's heart fluttered.  
Ladybug's face became serious again. "Chat, can you please tell me more about your plan and why you think it requires revealing our identities?"  
"Do you think we can meet in purrrson?"  
"Not tonight, Kitty."  
"Another time, then."  
"No, Chat, we need to talk about this NOW. It's serious! Do you, do you know who Hawkmoth is?" she asked as she held onto her blanket tightly.  
Chat didn't answer.   
"Does he know who you are?"  
"I... I don't think he knows that I am Chat Noir."  
"But you know who Hawkmoth is."  
"It's hard to give complete answers without revealing who I am, LB."  
"It's just a yes or no question!"  
"Don't you need to know how I know who he is?"  
"Ah so you do know!"  
"That's not the point, Ladybug."  
"No I don't, Chat," she said, "I trust you. Completely. Whoever you say Hawkmoth is, that's him. I don't know how you found out, but you know. And I trust you."  
He paused briefly to consider his next response. "Back when we were kids we suspected him for a short amount of time, but we checked him off as a no since he was akumatized. We didn't know at the time he akumatized himself to throw off suspicion."  
Marinette's eyes widened. How could they have--  
"I'm not sure if I am ready to reveal his identity yet. Not until I can talk to him again. Alone."  
"Chat! You just said you had a plan to defeat him and now you're not going to-"  
"I already told you my plan involves revealing our identities, not just Hawkmoth's. If you cannot accept that right now, then I cannot reveal Hawkmoth's identity to you."  
"That's-that's not fair, Chat! That doesn't make any sense!"  
"It's for the same reason we haven't revealed our own identities to each other, Ladybug. It's to keep us safe. I'm sorry."  
"Chat! That's not the same-"  
"I have to go, my Lady. We'll talk again soon, I promise."  
"At least go see Master F-"  
Chat Noir ended the call.  
Marinette detransformed immediately, jumped out of the bathtub and ran as silently as possible to her room. She scrambled to find the biggest pillow on her bed, stuffed her face in it, then screamed a long muffled cry of frustration.

This time Adrien entered Nathanael's (and his!) apartment via the small balcony that had a sliding glass door to the kitchen. It was late and thankfully Nathanael was asleep, but Adrien knew he couldn't continue his flying out of window habits.  
"I'm STARVING," Plagg cried, whizzing out of the miraculous straight to the refrigerator.   
"Shh, Plagg!"   
In one gulp the wheel of Camembert was gone.   
"Why'd you go out and transform, anyway? It's not like there were any akumas. And you didn't even give me a warning!"  
"I just needed to clear my head Plagg. You of all kwamis should know I can't think with you complaining all the time."  
"Complaining?!"  
Adrien snickered. "Good night, Plagg. We need our rest." He took off his smelly socks to make a small pillow and blanket for Plagg, then he burrito'ed himself into his own blanket on the couch.

\---

The next morning Nathanael got up early. He planned on going out somewhere to sketch before going into the parlor but he was having some second thoughts. He didn't want Hawkmoth to suddenly decide to take advantage of him. Being in public never mattered to Hawkmoth in the past though, why should it now. He shrugged to himself, and noticed Adrien drooling on the couch as he made his way to the kitchen. He made his usual funny face. There was not a single moment where this guy didn't look perfect, was there?   
He grabbed some fruit for breakfast and just before leaving he thought out loud, "Don't bakeries open early?"  
Adrien's eyes opened, completely alert. Nathanael left.  
"You're late on your first day," Plagg snickered.  
"Shut up, Plagg," Adrien grumbled and he shot off the couch to go brush his teeth.

\---

Marinette was running late again, as usual. She had a hard time falling asleep after the bombshell Chat Noir dropped on her. How does he know who Hawkmoth is? Who is it? Why can't she remember anyone they had suspected? It was such a long time ago when they first became superheroes but she should have remembered something like that, right?   
"Tikki, do you remember anyone that we suspected to be Hawkmoth?"  
"Yes I do remember, but I'm not sure if he's who Chat Noir means. We shouldn't jump to conclusions, Marinette."  
"You're right, Tikki, as always."  
Marinette skitted down the stairs and popped through the bakery to shove a crossaint into her mouth before jumping out the door. She decided to also grab a box of macarons as an apology to her manger so with her hands full she exited the door backwards, using her hip to push the door open.   
However, Adrien, also in a rush to start his new job at the bakery, at the exact same time, reached to open the door.  
The door swung open faster than Marinette was pushing it and she stumbled, falling backwards with a yelp.  
"Sorry!" Adrien also yelped, letting go of the door and catching her before she hit the ground.   
Not even looking up Marinette bounced out of his arms. She couldn't even give him a proper reply with the crossaint in her mouth. It was probably best if they didn't make eye contact. What a way to start her morning, running into a rando customer as soon as she took a step outside!  
Adrien stood there a little dumbfounded as she bustled quickly away, fully-tattooed arms carrying the box, without even flinching at the fact she nearly fell and broke her hip.  
"That's our Marinette for you, busy little bug, isn't she?" Tom said loudly so Adrien could hear, but to his wife, Sabine. She smiled. "Yes, Marinette is always running late to somewhere, whether it's school, her job, or-"  
"That was Marinette?" Adrien asked, finally turning around to look at his new pair of bosses.  
"Yes, and it looks like you two have something in common," Sabine said with a wink.  
"What do you mean?" Adrien asked while his face heated up.  
"You're late," Tom boomed,"Get on back here so I can show you the ropes!"  
"Right!"  
Adrien was eager to start a job he had zero experience in, especially when the results were so delicious. This job in particular made it easy to take his mind off what he was really worrying about: Talking to Ladybug about Hawkmoth. Cutting himself off from his father. Keeping his identity safe. What would Ladybug think if he told her Hawkmoth's identity anyway? They couldn't attack him without proof, that is, unless they were able to infiltrate his lair from the inside. Without that advantage it would be pointless. He has the advantage, but it would be pointless without Ladybug. He couldn't take on Hawkmoth by himself. He knew that. It's not that he is afraid... he just couldn't trust himself to make the right call if things went south. He would need his partner to be there for him. But... but what if he shared their identities and Ladybug no longer trusted him because of it?

No, he can't think like that. He had to focus on kneading that dough. It was tougher than he thought it'd be, but he liked it. It was theraputic.

\----

"So did you meet your parents' new employee?" Nathanael asked. "He slept in this morning, I think he may have been late on his first day."  
"Was THAT who that was? Oh no! I probably made an _awful_  impression, really typical of me of course--"  
"Slow down, Marinette, we only have 5 minutes left of your lunch break, what are you talking about?"  
"On my way out the door this morning I was running late as usual so I grabbed my crossaint and then a box of macarons and then RIGHT as I was opening the door this guy is on the other side opening it as well and I fell right at him I just couldn't believe he _caught_  me! He actually caught me as I fell foward, but I didn't think twice about it I just jumped out of the way and left!"  
"Did you see who it was?"  
"Not really, no. I figured the less eye contact with that interaction the better, it was so embarrassing."  
"Interesting." Perhaps their inevitable running into one another will take longer than he thought.

Marinette returned to the flower shop and some thoughts began to flood her mind. It wasn't too busy inside at the moment which was not good for an over-thinker. Is Alya right about her messing with Nathanael's feelings? They weren't like that, though! They were just good friends. Friends who had lunch almost every day together because it was convenient. They both had artistic interest and critiqued each others' work. He was a friend who used to have a crush on her when they were younger. A friend who was still a little shy around her even though he has tattooed her every limb.   
Well maybe he DID still have a crush on her. Marinette wasn't sure how she felt about that. She liked Nathanael, she enjoys his company, he was a good listener... maybe she should actually give him a chance. If he asks her out, maybe she'd actually say yes. She had given up on Adrien ever since he dropped contact with everyone before she starting taking classes at university. Maybe this was a good thing.

As she was closing up she noticed someone catch up with Nathanael as he was walking home. He was tall, blonde, and just within ear's reach she heard him laugh. She saw him put his arm around Nathanael who awkwardly accepted the gesture. He laughed again, and Marinette's hair stood on end.  
"Tikki," she said strangely, "who is that?"  
"Who is who?" Tikki squeaked, coming out of Marinette's purse.   
"That guy with Nathanael over there, walking away?"  
"It might be his new roommate and your parents' new employee, don't you think?"  
"Was he the guy who caught me this morning?"  
"The very same!"  
Marinette's heart started pounding. "Do you... do you think Chat Noir could have learned more than just Hawkmoth's identity, Tikki?"  
"What are you saying, Marinette?"  
Marinette took the key out of the door. "I'm saying... I guess what I'm saying is Chat has pretty distinct laugh, and I could have sworn that..."  
"Yes, Marinette?"  
"You know what Tikki? Never mind. I am acting paranoid. If Chat had figured out my identity there is no way he wouldn't tell me. I'm just feeling a little crazy right now, with everything that's happened the past couple of days. Time to go home."  
"If it makes you feel better Marinette you could ask your parents when you get home about him?"  
"Yes, maybe I will do that. I'll at least learn his name."  
"Would it be so bad to know your identities now though?"  
"What? Are you crazy, Tikki? Hawkmoth is still out there, we can't risk-"  
"I think if Chat Noir knows who Hawkmoth is and a way to defeat him that only involves revealing your identities means you really need to hear him out."  
"But he won't share his plan without revealing our identities first, how can I make a decision?"  
"Maybe you need to set some ground rules before you reveal your identities. Like, no matter who you guys are, you will still trust each other. Maybe set a ground rule of not meeting as civilians to throw off suspicion?"  
"I think you're onto something Tikki. We need to defeat Hawkmoth. Once and for all. I will share my ideas with Chat next time I see him. Thank you, Tikki!"  
Tikki beamed.

\----

"So your first day went well I take it?"  
Adrien laughed. "Yeah it had a bumpy beginning but I think I'm starting to get the hang of things. Soon I'll be bringing in the dough!" he said while nudging Nathanael's shoulder. Nathanael just rolled his eyes.   
"A bumpy beginning you say?"  
"Yeah... I actually ran into Marinette without even realizing it! She was running late too, and well, she kind of tripped on her way out but I managed to break her fall. She was really in a rush though, I don't even think she recognized me," he said with a tinge of disappointment.  
"That's Marinette for you," Nathanael said. _So it WAS you. Of course. This is starting to get more interesting._


	4. Spaced Out

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Adrien and Marinette both have their minds preoccupied. What is Hawkmoth up to?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My life has been keeping me very busy so every chapter is posted minimally edited. This one is brief, but hey, Adrienette here we GO
> 
> Warning: I have edited/added to this chapter. It has a reference to the latest episode of Puppeteer 2.

\----

"Nooroo, detransforme moi."  
Gabriel quietly began to sulk as he walked back to the elevator in his lair. "My house has always been empty of joy, ever since Emilie..."  
"Master?"  
"But now, now it's just... empty."

\----

It had been a week since Adrien started working at the Dupain-Cheng bakery and he had yet to bump into Marinette again. Hawkmoth hadn't chosen another akuma victim since Stormy Weather. With every day of his absence, his stomach churned. With what? Guilt? He didn't ask Hawkmoth to go at it again. But he was almost certain he wouldn't have if Adrien didn't happen upon his lair. His garden. His diabolical butterfly garden surrounding his-  
"Adrien, there are customers up front!"  
"Sorry Mrs. Cheng, I'll be right out."  
"It's Sabine, dear," Sabine said with a kind voice. _While he was very enthusiastic, he spaces out just as much as Marinette, if not, more._ Sabine smiled.

\---

Marinette had finally found the right motivation to never be late again. While not completely sure that Nathanael's roommate was indeed Chat Noir, she did not want to take any chances by accidentally bumping into him again, and seeing his true identity. She was curious of course, especially since it was vital to Chat's plan of defeating Hawkmoth, but it felt like it would be cheating. It wouldn't be fair to Chat for her to find out like this, would it? They should reveal their identities together, when the time is right. She was grateful Nathanael rarely spoke of him, without even mentioning his name somehow.  
_She needed to talk to him_ , she thought. Chat, that is. About his plan. Hawkmoth hasn't let out so much as a peep since Stormy Weather, they could be using this time more wisely by figuring out a strategy together but anytime Marinette had a chance to transform Chat was never transformed at the same time. She wished they had a way to communicate without being superheroes. That is probably why Chat believes it is vital for them to reveal their identities. Hawkmoth couldn't possibly be someone from Chat's life. Finding his identity was merely a coincidence. Such as her finding out that Chat Noir is Nathanael's roommate! Maybe. Maybe he is his roommate.  
She needed to focus. She was in class. The professor was speaking. _Focus, Marinette!_

\---

Marinette yawned. Her schedule was getting to her. She was taking one night class and a studio class on Fridays (although this week it was more of a lecture) and working at the flowershop during most weekdays and the occasional weekend day. She had always been an excellent planner, but lately she had been feeling like her schedule has been wearing her out. She barely has time for her friends, let alone her personal creative outlets and now that she has to worry about Hawkmoth... it's only the icing on the cake.  
Cake! She was supposed to make a cake for Alya's surprise birthday party! With an unfound burst of energy, Marinette sprinted back home, only to run into a familiar face. Literally.  
"OhmygodiamsosorryAGAIN I can't believe that I just such a klutz--"  
As Adrien rubbed the spot on his jaw where Marinette's head collided, he chuckled. "I haven't seen you in a while, Marinette."  
Marinette's eyes widened. She didn't want to look at his face. She couldn't.  
"Marinette? Are you okay?"  
He offered his hand to help her up, but she still stared blankly ahead. She took a deep breath, took his hand, and looked up.  
"A-A-Adrien!"

"I didn't hurt you, did I?" His face, which was lightly dusted with flour, immediately dropped to concern.  
"I-" Marinette got up. "No, no, I am fine, this kind of thing happens all the time so about-don't-worry-ACH, don't worry about it!" she laughed nervously. _Get a grip, Marinette. It's only Adrien, your long-lost love of your life who you definitely gave up on years ago._ "Where have you been, anyway? I don't think we've, I, I don't think I've seen you since collège."  
Adrien rubbed the back of his neck instinctively. "I've.. I've been around. I was still modeling up until about a month ago."  
"I didn't hear anything about that!" Marinette blushed. "Not that I keep up with your modeling or anything, I just, um, I'm studying fashion and stuff and--"  
"No worries, Marinette. I've been trying to keep it quiet for now. A lot... a lot has been going on and I've just been trying to avoid it until absolutely necessary."  
"I understand."  
"So you're walking home?"  
"Yeah," she said, "Well, running was more accurate. I am supposed to make Alya a cake for her surprise birthday party tomorrow night that Nino and I were planning-"  
Adrien's face seemed hollow suddenly.  
"You should come!"  
"I.. I don't know Marinette. I miss you guys, like, a TON, but I haven't spoken to Nino in long time, I don't if.. I don't know if I'd be welcome," Adrien said, looking down as they walked.  
"I'm pretty sure anyone from collège would be delighted to see you, Adrien!" Marinette spoke in her classic positive attitude, "But even if you were worried, it's not really going to be a big party or anything. It'll be me, Nino, Alya, and, you remember Nino's brother Chris right?"  
"Yes, he always insisted he was one of the big kids," Adrien said fondly.  
"Yes well he still likes to tag along so he'll be there too most likely. Alya's sisters are all busy this week so they couldn't make it."  
"No other friends?"  
"Well, a part of the surprise is that it's going to be a binge-watching event and we didn't want to torture anyone besides Alya," she laughed.  
"Binge-watching of what?"  
"All of Alya's Ladyblog video clips, especially the ones she wouldn't post because of how embarrassing her talking over the footage was," Marinette smirked. It was actually Chris' idea so he had to be invited, but just as well, this could be a chance for Marinette to analyze past akuma attacks if they left any clues as to who Hawkmoth could be. She was worried only slightly about how it may lead to them discovering her identity, but Alya had already seen this clips numerous times. She filmed them herself! If she couldn't figure it out then, there's just no way she'd figure it out now. Marinette only noticed then that Adrien had been silent for a couple of minutes.  
"Did you want to come?"  
"I don't know. Can I think about it?"  
"You have until 5pm tomorrow to decide! Meanwhile, I have to bake a cake!"  
"Tonight?"  
Marinette muddled through her bag to search for keys. They had reached the bakery. "Yeah, I have to work tomorrow so I'm not going to have time. Ah, there they are!" She pulled out the key triumphantly with her left arm, which was decorated with a number of unique floral illustrations.  
"What kind of flowers... are those?" Adrien asked, perplexed, pointing to a lilac wrapping around a moonflower.  
"Goodnight, Adrien!" she almost shouted, after she quickly unlocked the door and turned around to face him again. "Goodnight, Adrien," she said a little more quietly, and then without a second thought she briefly kissed him on the cheek. "I hope you can make it to the party," and then she whispered close to his ear, "just don't tell Alya, okay? It's really a surprise."  
She turned back around to go inside and then locked the door. She gave him a small wave through the window and went upstairs.  
"Oh my God, Tikki, what just happened?!"  
"I think you just kissed Adrien Agreste!"  
Marinette slid down to the floor with her back to the door.  
"And you invited him to Alya's surprise party."  
"Right, the cake!"

\---

"Good...night. I... won't?" Adrien blubbered out after Marinette went up.  
"Earth to Adrien, she can't hear you, who are you talking to now?" Plagg teased.  
Adrien blinked. "You, Plagg. I said Goodnight, Plagg... I won't... give you any Camembert until you leave me alone--"  
"Do you think she knows you work at her parents' bakery?"  
Adrien blinked again. _Did Plagg just ignore a cheese threat?_   "She has to know, there's no way her parents didn't let her know... besides this is the second time I've run into her because of working here!"  
"Are you going to your friend's party? There will probably be cheese!"  
"I don't know, Plagg. I want to see everyone but I'm a little nervous to show my face. Maybe I could bring Nathanael?"  
"Yeah but he wasn't invited, was he?"  
"I suppose that's true," Adrien said, "But as much as I miss Nino, if I see him, I won't be able to hide anything from him. I'd have to explain everything. And that'd be even more challenging especially with the party being focused on videos of Ladybug and Chat Noir. If I reveal one thing it's just way too easy for me to keep going. Especially around Nino."  
"Well, he IS like, the first person you could ever be yourself around, isn't he?"  
"Now that I think about it... yeah he is. He really helped me come out of my shell." Adrien grinned. "You know, it will be good to see Nino. And Alya."  
"And Marinette?"  
Adrien's smile widened. "It's always good to see Marinette, even if it requires to bump into her like we keep doing," he laughed. "Talking to her again makes me believe seeing all of my old friends is the right thing to do right now. She might look a bit different, but she's still the same Marinette I knew in collège."  
"What makes you say that, _catsanova_?"  
Adrien rolled his eyes. "It's never about _her_. She's still as thoughtful as ever, and flustered as ever." Adrien chuckled. "It's still cute, too."  
"She DID kiss you goodnight, isn't that something new?"  
Adrien blushed a tinge. "We're French, Plagg, that's really not so uncommon."  
"I don't know, the only thing I ever would kiss is a plate of Camembert, or maybe Brie, but it would have to be especially smelly--"  
"Plagg!"  
"My point is, I don't think I've ever seen Marinette kiss anyone but you. Think about it!"  
Adrien paused for half a second before responding. "That's because you're with me all of the time, not with Marinette all of the time! How could you know if she hasn't kissed anyone else?"  
"You remember that time you almost kissed for real when you were making that monster movie with your friends?"  
"That was SO long ago, Plagg--"  
"How about that time she ACTUALLY kissed you in the wax museum, remember that?"  
"She was pranking me back--"  
"Oh, what about the time you told her she was your 'everyday Ladybug'? Do you remember all your friends cheering?"  
"They were agreeing with me and cheering for Marinette!"  
"How about that time you went to the ice rink with her-"  
"She was with Luka, and ha! I have you there, Plagg, she definitely gave him a kiss goodbye, I remember noticing that as we drove away!"  
"Yeah, then she chased after you."  
"Weren't you claiming that her kissing me on the cheek was something new?"  
"Is it?"  
Adrien ignored the question. Plagg was just being a little shit, as usual. Adrien was happy to see Marinette, even though he hadn't spoken to her for quite some time. Her family was always so warm and inviting, and still is. He was actually hoping to have run into her sooner- he figured working at the bakery would have made that inevitable. Out of all of his friends in collège, he knew he could always count on Marinette for anything. He didn't want to burden her with any of his own problems, but he knew that he could count on her. She was one of the most encouraging and giving people he had ever met. He almost felt selfish for wanting her as his friend. Did he even deserve something so wonderful? He grew up his whole life never being good enough for his father, why would she have ever considered becoming friends with him?  
But she was his friend. She always would be. He knew he could count on that.  
He wondered about her tattoos, though. Not in a judgmental way, he was only curious. He never would have expected Marinette to get even a single tattoo, but here she was, with nearly full sleeves. Yes, she was a creative type, but did Marinette really have the patience for a tattoo? Or the desire for something permament on her body?   
Adrien laughed. He imagined his father's reaction if HE would have gotten a tattoo. Oh, the ultimate revenge, to deface his perfect model figure, the representation of his father's livelihood. Well, he was no longer an Agreste. Maybe he will get a tattoo. He'd have to ask Nathanael about it. Or maybe he could ask Marinette at Alya's surprise birthday party!  
"Hey Plagg, if I were to get a tattoo, what do you think it should be?"  
"Your favorite selection of cheese, of course," Plagg replied without a single thought.  
_Why did I even ask?_


	5. A Fleur-ishing Phone Conversation

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Adrien acquires advice from flowershop girl, Marinette asks for advice from Nathanael.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In case you didn't see, I did add a bit more to the previous chapter. Thank you for your comments~

"I think Alya is going to love the cake, it has her favorite flavors!"  
"I know Tikki! I just hope in rushing it I didn't forget any important ingredients." Marinette chewed her lip as she spun the cake around. She had to let it cool overnight before icing it in the morning and since she really didn't have time to bake it in the first place, the design was very simple. Decorated on the top was different colored macarons, making it look vaguely similar to Master Fu's Miracle Box with all of the miraculouses. She knew Alya would like it because not only did it include her favorite superheroes Ladybug and Chat Noir, but it also included an orange macaron for Rena Rouge, and a green one for Carapace. Of course, Marinette hasn't lent the fox miraculous to Alya in years but she hoped it would inspire some nostalgia. Maybe even the possibility to remind her that Ladybug might need her help again in the future.   
\-----  
"What are you going to bring to the party?"  
"What do you mean, Plagg?"  
"Well, it's a birthday party, isn't it? Shouldn't you bring Marinette a gift or something?"  
"It's not Marinette's birthday party, it's Alya's," Adrien half-whispered since they were in the bakery, "But that's not a half-bad idea. I probably shouldn't show up empty-handed. Maybe I could ask Marinette what I should bring?"  
"She's hosting the party, right? Shouldn't you bring her something too?"  
"Hide, Plagg!"  
"Adrien, we have a delivery coming in, we're going to need help out back!"  
"I'll be right there, Msr. Dupain!"  
"It's Tom, Adrien!"   
\----  
 **[Hey Nat - what is a customary gift to bring to a small party?]**  
[One week of adulting and you're already invited to a party?]  
 **[Well it's not really a PARTY but I was invited and I don't know what to bring. They are very special to me, but I haven't been in touch with them for a long time.]**  
[Are you talking about Marinette's surprise party for Alya?]  
 **[How can you be this observant over texting?]**  
Nathanael smirked. Marinette had been talking about this party for months. She blabbed all about it to him and invited him as well, but he couldn't attend. He knew that she didn't want it to be a big party or anything so she couldn't invite all of Paris, but he did wonder how they finally ran into each other. He sighed. It looked like fate would take over.  
[Flowers never hurt.]  
 **[Do you think your flowershop girl would have some good advice on what kind?]**  
Wait. _Wait._ Did they bump into each other or not? How could he answer this? Could he really continue to delay their meeting even longer? At least, until the party? He laughed.  
[Actually never mind flowers, you should probably bring something to share, like food or drink]  
But he worked at her family's bakery, bringing food would feel... like a joke? Maybe he could bring something to drink instead. Why weren't flowers a good idea anymore? Flowershop girl seemed to know what she was talking about when she picked those marigolds for him and she hardly knew a thing about him! He could probably google the flowershop' number and ask her directly.   
"Would it be weird if I asked Nathanael' flowershop girl-friend for advice on what type of gift I should bring to a party?"  
Plagg simply snickered.  
"Okay, so it would be weird, but not if I mention I'm Nathanael's roommate, right?"  
"I'm sure nothing as ridiculous as anything else could ever come of it."  
"What is that supposed to mean, Plagg?"  
"We'll find out soon enough, won't we?" Plagg grinned.  
Adrien rolled his eyes. The cheese was clearly going to that kwami's brain. On his lunch break he googled the flowershop phone number and gave it a ring.  
"This is Fleurs-Forget-Me-Not, how can I help you?"  
"Hi, this is a weird question, but are you Nathanael's friend?"  
"Who's asking?"  
"This is his roommate. I just wanted to thank the person who picked the marigolds for him and... I also kind of had a question that maybe she could help me with?"  
Marinette's heart stopped for a minute.   
"Uh yeah, that's me, ha-ha-ha! What did you um, what did you want to ask?"   
"I'm going to a friend's party and, this is only weird because I haven't been to normal friend's birthday party since... almost never? And I'm not sure what to bring. Nathanael wasn't much help, but don't tell him I said that! I just, I assumed you were better at this and could give me pointers? Are flowers a good idea?"  
Chat hasn't been to a birthday party? If he was Chat, that is. How old was Nathanael's roommmate?  
"Well I'd say it depends on what your friends like and what you want to have at the party, don't you think?"  
"I'm not actually sure what my friends like anymore, I haven't seen them in a long time."  
Marinette didn't reply right away. A long time ago she occasionally wondered what Chat's life behind the mask could have been like but now that they had grown up significantly... what WAS Chat's life behind the mask? Was he still in love with Ladybug? What kind of family did he come from? They never discussed details of their lives before and now that the revealing of their identities was likely inevitable... what if he was someone unexpected? Not that, she could like, expect anyone, but what if his life completely-  
"Are you still there?"  
"Yes! So sorry. I just, I didn't know what to say. I'm sorry you haven't seen your friends in so long. If it makes you feel any better, I recently ran into an old friend - we had to team up for something unexpected and it was just like old times! Mostly, anyway. It was different, but good. I'm glad I got to see him. I hope we see each other again soon, you know?" WHAT was she SAYING?  
"I know what you mean. Well, sorry to bother you and all."  
"You're not bothering me! The shop is a little slow today, it's nice to talk to someone. I wish I could offer better help in finding a gift for you. I usually make my gifts for my friends, that way, they'll always remember who it was from!"  
Adrien smiled because he remembered the lucky charm Marinette gave him that was in his pocket. "What kind of gifts have you made?"  
"Oh. Um! Lots of things. I like making stuff like bracelets, t-shirt designs, dresses, hats, scarves..." Marinette laughed.  
"What's so funny about the scarves you've made?" Adrien could see why Nathanael liked this girl. Her laugh was cute.  
"You might laugh too. A long time ago I knit this scarf for the boy I had a huge crush on for his birthday. He really liked it too, I could tell, but--"Marinette took a deep breath. She couldn't understand why she was telling this story to Nathanael's roommate, possibly Chat, God forbid he mention anything to Nathanael, he'd find out that scarf is owned by no one other than the Adrien Agreste, teen model of Paris, God, how embarrassing would it be for Chat Noir to find out Ladybug had a crush on Adrien Agreste!  
"I forgot to sign the card that went with it. He never knew it was from me!"  
"You didn't actually give it to him?"  
"No, I really couldn't. I mean, I probably could have, if I was brave enough. I wasn't very brave back then." It was lucky Marinette was managing the shop on her own today with so few customers. They had been talking for much longer than she expected. "I was always such a buffoon in front of him, it was really embarrassing."  
"Poor guy. I'm sure he would have treasured it if he knew it was from you!"  
Marinette could almost hear Chat winking on the other side of the phone. If, he was really Chat, that is. _If._  
"Um, anyway, I have to go. My lunch break is nearly over. But thank you for your ideas."  
"What ideas!"  
"I'll let you know how it goes! Adieu!" Adrien hung up. Flowershop girl was adorable! Her voice sounded familiar, but he couldn't place it for some reason. He decided that he'd figure it out once he talked to her in person eventually. Talking over the phone is never like talking in person, at least, to Adrien.

\----

Marinette had purposely avoided sharing her name with Nathanael's roommate and was grateful he hadn't immediately shared his with her. She could not let herself find out his identity, they were meant to share their identities together. After that unexpected phone call, she closed the shop for lunch and entered the tattoo parlor. She often had lunch with Nathanael or Juleka and she really needed another point of view right now.  
"Hi Marinette, how's it going?"  
"Hi Nathanael, is your lunch break starting anytime soon?"  
"It can start right now." It was a slow day.  
"Great! I mean, I was wondering if you could give me any advice on something."  
They walked for a bit until they found an open bench to sit in. Nathanael decided to dive right in, but carefully wording his questions. "So is this about you bumping into Adrien or inviting him to Alya's surprise party?"  
Marinette blinked. "How did you hear about that?"  
 _Ah, so she really didn't know!_ "I recently bumped into him too. I think he's going to be doing a lot of that in the next few weeks, I just have a feeling."  
"What do you mean?"  
"I guess you didn't have time to discuss it, but you know how Adrien isn't modeling anymore?"  
"Yes?"   
"Well, I'm not sure, actually. I know only a couple of details, but I think you should ask him directly. He really needs his friends right now."  
"Oh," was all Marinette responded with. She didn't plan for a conversation about Adrien today, that generally required weeks of preparation in advance for her. At least, back when she  ~~loved him~~ had a crush on him.  
"I'm sorry for assuming, Marinette - what was it actually you wanted to talk to me about?"  
Marinette took a bite of her lunch. How could she talk about her problem with Chat?   
"An old friend of mine called me today, it was strange." No, Marinette, you don't know if it was actually him! "I mean, well, we recently got together again for something not really planned, and I'm not sure--" Marinette took another bite. "He used to be in love with me and I didn't feel the same way, as you probably know--" another bite as her face naturally heated up--"and there is this other person who we um, mutually despise, they're like, a constant threat, just, an awful person--" she should really not talk with her mouth full. She took her time to chew a little more thoroughly. Nathanael was continually more bemused with each segment of the story. _Was she talking about Chloe, or maybe, Lila?_

"Anyway, they had recently entered both of our lives again and he thinks it's important that we um, I guess, be more honest with each other, like truly no secrets between us."  
Marinette bit her lip slightly. "No secrets so that they can't take advantage of us."  
"Are you worried he's going to tell you he's still in love with you?"  
Nathanael was too perceptive for his own good.  
"I'm worried about a lot of things but I think I'm even more worried that... that he's not in love with me anymore."  
 _Shit._ _Poor Adrien._ Nathanael really thought he was keeping ahead on fate intertwining them but he really didn't see that coming.  



	6. Misdirection

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hawkmoth is at it again, this time, he's getting serious. How will our favorite superheroes defeat the akuma this time? Will we ever celebrate Alya's birthday?

"I'm going to find him. He can't hide forever."  
Nathalie bit her lip. If Gabriel wasn't so busy brooding in his lair he would have found Adrien weeks ago. She and his bodyguard have been keeping an eye on him ever since he left, just to make sure he was all right. Gabriel was a bit overbearing and controlling and while she believed in his cause, Nathalie also believed in Adrien's freedom. Adrien loved his father, he wouldn't reveal his secrets. He'd try to find a way to convince Gabriel to come clean. That's just who Adrien is. Or was, at least. She hoped his kind-hearted spirit would never break.  
"Nooroo, transformemoi!"

_Here we go._

_Again._

  
\----

  
There was a slight chill in the air so before heading out to the party, Adrien put on a sweater and his blue scarf. He still hadn't figured out a gift and was really embarrassed. His last hope was coming upon something on his way there but while Adrien was an optimistic person, he did have his doubts.  
"Why do we even hope for anything, look ahead!" Plagg moaned, knowing exactly Adrien was going to say next.  
"Plagg, transformemoi!"

  
\----

  
"Marinette, Alya and Nino are almost here, did you want me to tell Nino to misdirect again?"  
"No, Chris I suppose not. I guess Adrien really isn't coming after all," Marinette sighed. She looked out the window for a smidge of hope but instead saw Chat Noir being thrown in the air by an akumatized villain.  
"On second thought," she said in a slightly higher pitched voice, "send them on a scavenger hunt! I'll be right back Chris! MAKE SURE THEY DON't GET HERE TILL I'M HERE!"  
Marinette slammed the door.  
"Yes... ma'am?"

\-----

"BAD NEWS, LADYBUG!" Chat shouted, as he dodged a laser. "THIS ONE CAN TRACK YOUR EVERY MOVE!"  
"Hello, Ladybug," the Akuma said darkly as he turned his head. "My name is..." he paused, to chuckle, "Tracker, and I am here to track down Paris' favorite celebrities, and put them in their rightful place. I did have someone in mind but... I can start with you two."  
Marinette's eyes widened as a booby trap nearly ensnared from above. She dodged it just in time.  
"Who are you looking for, Tracker? Maybe we can help you!" Marinette said nervously as she blocked the lasers with her yo-yo shield.  
Tracker was tall and thin. His villainous outfit was a bit hard to comprehend. It was a type of camouflage, but he didn't seem like a hunter. He had eyes... that seemed to shift as he moved, all around his body. His edges were all sharp and he was extremely sinister-looking. It wasn't kooky like so many of the akumas are. This one was dead-serious. It was frightening.  
"I don't require your help, it's not like he'll be that hard to find anyway."  
"Well I don't know about that, smarty-cat! You needed to get akumatized just to find someone who is already famous? Have you been living under a rock? Social media tracks everyone, most of all, celebrities!" Chat laughed.  
That struck a nerve with Tracker and caught Chat off guard as he snapped his fingers and suddenly a bear trap snapped on Chat Noir's leg.  
"My Lady!" Adrien cried in pain.  
Tracker walked closer to him, watching him grimace and struggle.  
"My, my, you dropped your baton..." he laughed dryly, and then swept it away. "How careless of you."  
Adrien's eyes grew wide. Tracker was getting far to close for comfort. He couldn't do anything about this trap except limp pathetically. Tracker's eyes shifted toward him, impaling Chat with their gaze. They locked eyes.  
"Listen, butthead," Ladybug yelled across the road. She had her lucky charm in her hand.  
They both turned to her quizzically.  
"I don't have time to come up with clever insults, okay? I have some Very Important Things to get back to and THEY ARE TIME-SENSITIVE! WHO. ARE. YOU. LOOKING. FOR?"  
Tracker's shifty eyes blinked. Adrien winced at his leg.  
Answer the Lady," Rena Rouge said smugly as she came out from behind her.  
Chat Noir had a faint smile on his face as the new-but-not-so-new superheroine made her entrance but it immediately fell at Tracker's next words.  
"Adrien," he said slowly, "Agreste."  
Rena Rouge and Ladybug both looked at each other in confused concern.  
_"Cataclysm."_  
\----

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What do you mean Adrien hasn't figured out his gift because I can't figure it myself? Maybe something from the akuma fight will inspire me, er, I mean, him.
> 
> Also, unrelated question: If Kagami were to aquire the bee Miraculous, what would her superhero name be?


	7. Time To Track Down To Take Down

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> We finally hear a little bit of what has been going on in Adrien's head since he left home. He's been bottling it up so well that even Plagg still doesn't quite know what's going on. Hopefully he doesn't spontaneously combust. His solution is just to cataclysm his way out of every conversation... 
> 
> HOWEVER at long last there is a tiny bit of Marichat interaction, but the fight isn't over, perhaps they need a new superhero? Or someone familiar...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry my chapters always seem so short now but I got a lot going on and I'm only writing when I am procrastinating on my Important Life Tasks. Which has been happening a lot this week, actually.

Adrien found himself still transformed, sobbing on top of the Dupain-Cheng Bakery. He hadn't cried like this since he and Ladybug agreed to say goodbye without revealing their identities all those years ago. He somehow managed to escape the fight from that akuma but he knew he had to return. Ladybug and Rena Rouge couldn't face Tracker alone without him. Not when Tracker was his father.  
It was something completely unexpected. His father never did anything himself. He always had hired someone to do errands for him. It made perfect sense that he was Hawkmoth once Adrien made the discovery. At first it was shocking, especially when he found his lair and where he kept his mother in her open tomb.  
_It wasn't a tomb_ , he said.  
But it is now.  
His mother had been alive for who knows how much longer since she went "missing" and he wasn't privileged with that information. His father never trusted him with anything. Not with responsibilities, not with friendships... And what a joy it had been to transform into Chat Noir to fight alongside Ladybug, the love of his life... only to find out his father had been the villain the entire time.  
Perhaps it was cowardly of him to run away but he knew he couldn't face him alone. What would his father have done if he discovered his own son was his arch-nemesis this entire time?  
Adrien winced. His leg was not getting any better and his transformation would drop soon. He needed to figure something out quickly, before Gabriel...before  _Tracker_  found his way here.  
God, why did he akumatize himself? What good would that do for him, anyway? He would gain nothing! He'd give... _he'd give away his identity._  
He wanted so badly to share his identity with Ladybug despite the shame but now perhaps he can tell her that Tracker Is Hawkmoth.  
_No, Adrien don't be stupid!_ If Tracker knows that you know he's Hawkmoth... he'd know his identity too. Unless... unless he somehow convinced his father Adrien told the superheroes their identities? He couldn't tell them as Adrien now because his leg would be a dead give-away. Could he hide the pain? Unlikely.  
"Good GOD I'm starving where's-" Plagg stopped short and saw Adrien's state. "I need to get Ladybug."  
"NO, Plagg, you can't! And you have to transform me back quickly before Tracker finds me. He's looking for Adrien, not Chat Noir."  
"He's going to be looking for both of you either way, where's my precious Camembert?"  
Adrien tossed a small rind from his pocket with the slightest smirk on his face.  
"Who is this Tracker guy, anyway, your father?"  
"Worse," Adrien muttered, "He's Hawkmoth."  
Plagg dropped the small bit of cheese that was left. "How can you be sure! We need to call Master Fu! Where's Ladybug? Where is the akuma? Wh--"  
"Plagg, transforme-moi!"  
"Adrien you can't keep ignoring meeeeeeee!" Plagg shouted as he phased into the Miraculous.  
"It's time I faced him."

  
\----

  
The akuma was looking for Adrien? It was hard to recognize this akuma, it wasn't exactly shaped human-like, but his voice... while it distorted a little, it sounded vaguely familiar. But why did it sound evil? Most akumas are just overwhelmed with their emotions and Hawkmoth makes them a deal, but Tracker was vicious. Marinette still hadn't figured out how to use her lucky charm which meant she was running out of time.  
"Rena Rouge, I need you to use your mirage powers to keep Tracker busy. I'm going to recharge and find Chat. I need to make sure he's okay. Can you do that?"  
"As long as I have Carapace by my side I can handle anything!" Rena Rouge winked as Carapace strategically arrived at a different time than her own entrance.  
Marinette smiled briefly at her friends. She couldn't thank the stars enough that Chris had unknowingly misdirected them toward Master Fu.  
"I will take aLL OF YOUR MIRACULOUSES!" the akuma spat in frustration.  
As soon Marinette found a place to detransform, she spotted Chat Noir, tentatively traveling with the aid of his baton. He was still bleeding.  
"Chat Noir, what do you think your doing!" Marinette shouted in a whisper, forgetting she was no longer transformed as Ladybug.  
Chat heard her, just barely, and turned his head. "Marinette?"  
"Shit," she whispered to herself, suddenly going in complete panic mode.  
Chat came toward her. "You need to find a safe place to hide, Marinette - the akuma..." his tone of voice shifted. "I know this akuma too well. He will break you down bit by bit until there is nothing left. Please?"  
"Wait what do you mean you know this akuma? I've never seen anything like it!"  
"It's a long story that I would love to tell but I can't right this minute. I have to get back to help Ladybug."  
"You're in no condition to help!" Marinette nearly screamed, "eep, I mean, what I mean is you really, REALLY shouldn't go back out there with that leg injury, Chat, it looks completely awful and probably would help you lose this fight and-and-and we just can't have that."  
"I a-purr-eciate you looking out for me, but my lady needs-"  
A crash deafen his reply.  
"Chat, look out!"  
He had only a fraction of second to extend his staff to block the chunk of building that flew toward them. Unfortunately it didn't bounce back, it sunk a bit into the ground crumbled into large chunks surrounding them. The space was tight and some of the rocks had landed on Marinette's shoulder which was Not Good. It had torn her shirt, revealing her first tattoo.  
"Are-are you okay?" Marinette sputtered.  
"Fine," Adrien winced, but he was able to let go of his baton without the fallen structure falling any more apart. This was Really Not Good.  
_He doesn't know_ , Marinette thought in relief. Maybe now is the time, though.  
"Hawkmoth sent a pretty scary akuma this time, huh?"  
"I need to get you out of here, Marinette. Before he finds me."  
"I know," she said, desperately looking for a solution and not finding one. Her last lucky charm didn't make any sense and they always made sense. Well, it kind of made it sense. It was shaped like the lucky charm that she had given Adrien when they were kids. The akuma was searching for Adrien. It was a clue, but it was useless now. She hoped Adrien decided not to come to the party after all because if had that would mean--  
"Chat!" Marinette yelped, "We NEED to get out of here!"  
"Isn't that what I just said?"  
"No, you don't understand, the akuma, he's looking for Adrien and, and he might be close by, he could have been on his way to visit me!"  
"Adrien Agreste on his way to visit you, should I be jealous after how close we've gotten in these past few seconds?"  
They were, in fact, less than a foot apart from each other.  
Marinette's face went deep red, but not from blushing. From fumes.  
"Listen you CAT," she said in her Ladybug-tone-of-voice with her finger wagging in Chat's face, "he's in DANGER, okay? I don't know even know who this akuma is, but Adrien is my FRIEND and even if he WASN'T on his way to my party," Marinette paused, and realized she was preaching to the choir. She wasn't sure what to make of Chat's face but she knew he was just concerned as she was. "We need to get out of here," she said again, more quietly.  
"I know."  
They were silent for a moments.  
"Do you think you can contact the other superheroes? Maybe they can get us out."  
"I'll try Ladybug first."  
Marinette's stomach went into a knot. He tried Ladybug, who obviously did not answer. Rena Rouge and Carapace were busy with the akuma, trying not to get killed.  
"Maybe you can try another superhero?"  
"You do realize it's been several years since Ladybug has lent anyone a Miraculous, right? Besides, I don't know who'd..."  
"What is it?"  
"Queen Bee. She knows the person behind the akuma. She might be an advantage, so long as-"  
"So long as Hawkmoth doesn't take advantage of the fact she's Chloe Bourgeois? There's a reason SHE hasn't been given the Miraculous ever since--"  
"You may not understand it right now, but she's probably our best bet. I am going to use my power to get us out of here and I need you to find Chloe. Do you think you can do that, Marinette?"  
Marinette blinked. "How do YOU know who the akuma is? He doesn't even look human!"  
"Marinette, can you do that?"  
"I haven't spoken to Chloe since lycée, there's no way she'd even look at me now! She's hated me since collège, besides--"  
Chat laughed quietly. "Chloe doesn't hate you, Marinette."  
"Will you answer my question please!"  
"If I told you who the akuma is will you promise to get Chloe?"  
Marinette huffed. "I promise."  
"It's Gabriel Agreste. He got tired of waiting for Adrien to come to his senses and now he's ready to knock some sense into him himself. I guess he got tired of sending out other people to do his own damn job. Are you ready?" Chat spoke with such a distaste in his mouth that Marinette almost thought he threw up while speaking.  
"How... how do you know-"  
"Cataclysm!"

\----

Marinette did NOT want to retrieve Chloe as Queen Bee but they really needed all the help they could get.  
"Tikki, you'll have some time to eat the macarons in my purse. We have to make a detour before coming back to the fight."  
"Are you sure it's wise to get Chloe, Marinette? If it's truly Gabriel behind that akuma the battle could really go either way if she becomes a part of it."  
"I know Tikki, but who else do we know that knows Gabriel Agreste?"  
"Do you remember Kagami?"  
Marinette didn't stop walking, but her brain paused. Kagami? _I suppose that's true and she IS an excellent fighter._ She would be at a the same disadvantage as Chloe though because Hawkmoth knows who she is. Gabriel doesn't know necessarily, but it wouldn't be hard for Hawkmoth to let him in on the secret. Kagami, however, is less unpredictable and far more trustworthy, AND, her powers as Ryuko may give them... no, the bee Miraculous would be far more useful.  
Marinette had an epiphany.  
"Tikki, transforme-moi!"


	8. Dad-da-daddio!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> With a new-but-not-so-new superhero, our friends defeat the latest akuma. Carapace and Rena Rouge are still protecting each other. Chat Noir debates on how to tell Ladybug Hawkmoth's identity. Marinette has a lot on her plate.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I still didn't come up with a superhero name for her, I'm sorry. I would like to draw her though. Since everyone is older now and newly transformed, perhaps they all have new superhero looks!
> 
> I'm really looking forward to writing Alya's surprise party. It's going to be... a LOT

 

Marinette's shoulder was still in pain, even while transformed as Ladybug and Master Fu could tell.  
"How many Miraculouses do you need, Ladybug?"  
"Just one, Master. Do you happen to know where Kagami Tsurugi is?"  
"It's hard to say. She does not have social media, and that's usually how I keep up with you heroes these days," Master Fu replied.  
Marinette bit her lip. She DID have Kagami's phone number from when they were kids from that Paris-wide scavenger hunt and ended up being partners. She hoped her number hadn't changed and she really hoped she was still in Paris!

\---

"Oh I REALLY hope Ladybug comes back so-DUDE!"  
Rena Rouge ducked. "It's not like her to be gone this long from a fight!"  
"And where is-"  
"Sorry I had to whisker-away so suddenly, where were we, Tracker?"  
Tracker rotated its entity which had morphed during Chat's absence. His eyes were still there, but the jagged shapes had become more fluid.  
"Where's Ladybug, Chat Noir?" Tracker hissed. "Where are you keeping her?"  
"Don't worry, daddio, she'll be back to kick your--"  
Chat was cut off by the sudden launch of traps and he had to get out of the way. Somehow, even in his clumsy pain, he escaped just in time.  
"Chat Noir!" Carapace whispered, "You need to get out of here. You're in no shape to be up against this guy! He got you really good. You need to sit this one out and let us help until Ladybug returns."  
"You don't think I know that?" he snapped.  
"I need to protect Rena," he said, as he nearly rolled his eyes at Chat's attitude.  
"You need to protect Paris, Carapace," Chat reminded him. "Rena can protect herself."  
"You don't think I know that?"  
Chat shared a half-smirk. He had been doing that a lot in the last 20 minutes or so. "Don't worry. Help is coming."  
"I sure as hell hope so, this akuma is a sociopathic maniac."  
Chat watched him leap back into the battle. He hated being on the sidelines, but what else was he going to do? Call out "Hey Dad, fuck you,"? That would sure as hell throw him off, but only for a second or two. Gabriel was a master manipulator and worked extraordinarily well under pressure. Adrien was starting to wonder if sharing his identity with Ladybug would actually make any real difference. Obviously he had to tell her who Hawkmoth was, but after that? What else is there to do? How could he win against his father, the one person he had been trying to earn the love and respect from his entire life? What would Ladybug think of him then, the son of Hawkmoth? She said she'd trust him no matter what but there is no way she could have guessed this scenario.  
What if Adrien told Ladybug who Hawkmoth was? Instead of him as Chat, he told her as Adrien? That way Ladybug wouldn't have to worry anymore about sharing their identities. He knew she was still uneasy about it. As much as he wanted to share their identities, he wanted to respect her choice. Their choice! They needed to protect each other after all. 

\---

"Who is this?"  
"Kagami Tsurugi?"  
"Until you reveal your identity, this conversation is not happening."  
Marinette almost dropped her magic yo-yo. "Kagami, this is Ladybug."  
"Ladybug? But, how? What's going on?"  
"Kagami, I don't have too much time to explain, but we need your help. Can I trust you again?"  
"But Hawkmoth, he knows my identity from before. I would become a liability."  
"I have something different in mind. Are you still in Paris?"  
"Yes."  
"Where can I meet you?"

\---

"Look, maman! Ladybug is back!" a child cried out from the distance.  
Tracker crawled in its intricate way to see the commotion, away from Rena Rouge and Carapace. Relieved, the superheroes followed him catching their breath.  
"Hello again, Tracker," Ladybug said smugly.  
"Ready to accept defeat at last, Ladybug?" the akuma snarled.  
"That really stings, Tracker," Ladybug almost laughed out loud, "or should I say, _Gabriel Agreste?"_  
In the split second that Tracker was caught offguard, a new superhero, yellow and black, came out of nowhere and paralyzed Gabriel instantly.  
Adrien was shocked. He was certain Marinette went off to get Chloe but as Queen Bee she always made some sort of entrance. Ladybug used someone else with the bee miraculous, he was sure of it. Chloe was not going to like that.  
Ladybug walked up to the akuma and studied it for a few seconds.  
"The akuma would have to be in the pen, Ladybug," the new superhero said. "Gabriel's gift to Adrien every year was a pen with his name on it. It's the only symbol of their relationship he has left."

Adrien swallowed the mysterious frog that just jumped in his throat. He never thought of those pens symbolizing their relationship but this superhero was spot on. How did she see this when he couldn't even see it himself after all these years? It took him to find out his identity to realize what he was and this superhero recognized their relationship immediately? That could only mean... oh. Chloe was  _really_ not going to like that.  
Marinette took the pen from the akuma, which was lodged in one of its eyes, and broke it immediately, before things could get any worse. She knew Kagami was tactful and direct but it often came out as cold and calculated. No matter though, she was extremely grateful.  
She purified the akuma and released the miraculous ladybug spell to make everything go back to normal. The akuma villain transformed back into Gabriel's regular self and the heroes magically returned to stand with Ladybug.  
Chat Noir was glaring at his father. The new superhero was staring at Gabriel with somehow both fear and disappointment. Carapace was glaring just as hard as Chat Noir. Both Ladybug and Rena Rouge shared a face of pity.  
"I'm... sorry, Ladybug," Gabriel said, looking at the ground.  
"It's okay, Mr. Agreste. You are safe now."  
Chat scoffed. Ladybug glared at him, but her eyes softened when they returned to Gabriel's. "Whatever it is between you and your son, I know you will work it out. You just need to be patient."  
Gabriel looked at her. His eyes studied her until she felt a little uncomfortable and was unsure what to do next.  
"Well our time's up and this cat is nearly out of the bag!" Chat Noir said awkwardly and he took the arm of his Lady and jumped out of earshot.  
"What do you think you're doing!" Marinette whispered. "Do you want to reveal our identities Right Now? I have somewhere I need to be-"  
"Hush, don't worry my Lady, I have a plan that I think you will like even better."  
"What are you talking about?"  
"Someone else know's Hawkmoth's identity."  
"Excuse me?!"  
"He wants to tell you himself and at least, this way, we can take him on without revealing our identities as you wish."  
"Chat, I don't think you understand where I stand on this right now--"  
"Adrien Agreste is nearby. He's obviously hiding from his dad, but he's closeby and he knows, Ladybug."  
Ladybug's face went a little pale. "I-I wait, WHAT?"  
Chat leaped away from her. He'll meet you soon. After you return the miraculouses!"  
"CHAT!"  
_Are you kidding me right now?_  
_I need to return the miraculouses, get Kagami back home, meet with Adrien as **LADYBUG** to FIND OUT WHO HAWKMOTH IS, and somehow get to Alya's surprise party before everyone else and ACT COOL ABOUT IT?_  
Marinette was certain she was going to murder that mangy cat if it was the last thing she did.

 


	9. She Knows Now

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Adrien pours his heart out to Ladybug and then finally decides what to bring to the party.

Marinette was an anxious wreck. She had to do everything one step at a time and she was finally at step five, talk to Adrien. As Ladybug. To find out Hawkmoth's identity.

 _Why would Chat do this?_ It wasn't fair to her at all. His initial plan to reveal his own identity was more assuring to her. She barely was able to talk to Adrien by himself as herself, how could she face him now as Ladybug... and then see him later at Alya's party as Marinette, knowing what she was about to find out? And she had to get this over with quick before Chris or Nino or even Alya started to worry about her! At least if she and Chat would know their own identities there would be some kind of relief! Finding out from Adrien, of all people, didn't make any sens-  
"Hi, Ladybug," Adrien said a little nervously. "Chat Noir told me to meet you here, I hope that's okay."  
Marinette surprisingly didn't jump at the interruption of her thoughts. "I'm sorry about your father, Adrien."  
Adrien's face darkened.  
"I know your relationship with him was never what you wanted to be but I'm sure that with time you'll be able to take the steps in making it better. Chat said that--"  
"Ladybug," Adrien said, taking a deep breath. "My father... I will never have a relationship with him. There was never anything out of love in the first place and with what I'm about to tell you..."  
"Your father fell victim to Hawkmoth today, Adrien. I know it's happened once before but-"  
"He didn't fall victim, Ladybug," he said, and placed his hand on her shoulder. Marinette's heart almost stopped. "My father did this to himself."  
"I-I I'm not sure what you mean. You know that everyone has bad days and his akumas could--"  
"Right. HIS akumas." Adrien let out a disappointed laugh. He sat down on the bench that was closest to them. Ladybug followed, and placed her hand on his back. She took a deep breath.  
"Chat said you wanted to tell me something important, and that it was important it'd come from you."  
"Ladybug, I-" his voice got caught. Damn frogs again. "I'm sorry," he croaked. "I'm really, really sorry!" Adrien cried, and put his face in his hands. "I thought running away would get me away from him, I mean, I didn't want to turn in my own father, and now he wants to take me back now? NOW? I know everything and he thinks he can somehow fix it by sending out akumas again? It's not going to bring back my mom, it's not going to fix anything, doesn't he understand the price he would have to pay? He already-"  
Marinette's brain came to a halt after she heard the word "akumas" and "sending out" and "again".  
"And I don't even have a gift to bring to my friend's party, I've tried my entire life to be a good friend but how can I be if I'm the son of Hawkmoth?" He sniffed. "Ladybug? Are you okay?" He wiped some of the tears from his now puffy red eyes.  
"Am..am I okay? AM I okay? Oh, Adrien..." Marinette looked at him with love, pity, fear... there were too many emotions rolling around her head to focus on one. She immediately wrapped Adrien in a hug and did not let go for a significant amount of time. Until she felt Adrien was going to be okay. God... she vaguely remembered Master Fu once being suspicious of Gabriel but... her fashion designer idol? The father of the love of her life? At the time? But Adrien wouldn't lie. That was something she always admired about him. He was irrefutably honest.  
Adrien on the other hand, at first, was completely startled by the embrace. At first, he was incredibly embarrassed by how much raw emotion he was revealing to Ladybug, none of which was his love for her, just, sadness, disappointment, anger, betrayal... Something he could never show to her as Chat, or to anyone else for that matter. No one really knew what he was feeling and to finally tell someone about his father, the REAL reason he left... he just broke down. And he couldn't believe Ladybug hugged him, was STILL hugging him! She smelled sweaty, but also like vanilla. He let out a small giggle. She released him, but cupped his face to look at him directly, eye-to-eye. Adrien's face went from puffy pink to tomato red.  
"Thank you for telling me Adrien. I'm not sure how you found out, but it must have been awful, and I'm so, so sorry. I'm not sure what Chat and I will be doing about it until now, but for now, please, go to your friend's party. It'll be okay if you don't bring anything, I promise. They are your friends, friendship love is unconditional, okay? Your friends aren't going to think of you as a bad friend because you didn't bring a bottle of wine or something. After that... I don't know. Lay low for now, but we will keep in touch, okay? I will call you every so often to make sure you're okay."  
_I will what now? You, Marinette, call Adrien?? Someone you haven't actually called in YEARS?_  
"Thank you, Ladybug. I know I have good friends, it's just hard to believe sometimes, you know?"  
Marinette blushed. "Don't ever think being the son of a super villain makes you a super villain, okay?"  
"Thank you, Ladybug."  
"Okay," Ladybug said. "I'm late beyond late. Uh, have fun with your friends, Adrien! Bug out!" And with that, she was gone.  
"So you are going to get some cheese with that bottle of wine she suggested?"  
"I just poured my heart out, Plagg. Have you no decency?"  
"Well I WAS going to ignore the fact that YOU FORGOT TO TELL ME YOUR FATHER IS HAWKMOTH-"  
"I'm sorry, Plagg. I really didn't want to believe it was true so for a month or so now I've kept it to myself. But it blew up in my face. My father akumatized himself to get to me."  
"Damn right it blew up in your face. Especially now you've told Ladybug, but not your identities? How are you going take on your father without sharing your identity?"  
"It's what she would have wanted."  
"Are you suuuure about that?"  
"What's that supposed to mean?"  
"Oh c'mon, we're late to Marinette's party and you still haven't gotten the wine to go with the cheese we're getting."  
Adrien rolled his eyes but wine and cheese did actually seem like a decent idea. "All right, Plagg, you win. Let's go get some wine. AND cheese."  
"HOORAY!"

Plagg was good at hiding his insecurities most of the time but at least going to this party meant he could discuss the news with Tikki.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> finally gonna get to that party  
> and it's going to be full of emotions. For E V E R Y O N E


	10. Miraculous Avoidance

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> We get a little bit of everything in this chapter I guess, but this party isn't quite over yet. Nathanael briefly faces his fears from afar, Juleka makes an appearance (finally), Marinette finally shows up to the party and the emotional rollercoaster begins! ALSO there's a small flashback

Doing his best to ignore his fears, Nathanael found his way to the top of the building the tattoo parlor was under. Hawkmoth had a second akuma attack going on since he came out of hiding and it had been years since Nathanael actually saw Ladybug and Chat Noir in action. He had been regularly making his comic about the two superheroes ever since college but it never went viral or anything. He had a significant following, but he felt the story and the art has been suffering ever since Ladybug and Chat Noir had gone. But they were back now. Maybe he could acquire some inspiration... from a safe distance.

  
"So cool."

Juleka had followed him up.

"Aren't you even a little bit scared?" he asked her.

"Nah."

 _Juleka and her extensive vocabulary._ Well, he felt a little better with someone nearby.

\-----

**(flashback)**

Adrien had just come home from a photo shoot. He wasn't doing modeling full-time but it was enough to bring something into his relationship with his father. Every snippet of a conversation, every ounce of the occasional embrace, he saved every single one in his memory. He did the same with the time he remembers spending with his mother while she was still around and somehow, the time spent with his father, was not even close to outweighing it. Any dinner unshared he'd go back in his brain to dig up a moment where he ate with his father, even if it was unpleasant. It didn't matter if it felt good or bad, it mattered that he was present. That's all that really mattered to Adrien, or at least, so he thought.

  
He never thought ill of his father. He knew he was a busy man and was distraught by his mother's disappearance. He knew in order to survive the pain he buried himself in his work and there was nothing Adrien could do about it. He wished that his father would reach out to him, just once, because then maybe they could start a conversation that reached under the surface. He didn't have a single memory of his father having a conversation that wasn't shallow. He may have smiled sometimes, but half the time it seemed forced.

  
Adrien always thought he had never seen his father cry because he didn't want to appear weak in front of his son, in front of anyone. Adrien believed his father's minimal public appearances weren't really because he was too busy, it was because he was afraid he might break down unexpectedly with something happening unpredictably, which of course, _was often_ , at least, a long time ago, with all of the akuma attacks. He wanted to respect his father's wishes, holding onto the belief that one day he'd open up on his own and they'd finally bond as father and son.

  
So as Adrien ate his meal alone, he contemplated once again where his father spent all of his alone time. He was never in his bedroom or office, that he knew for sure, from exploring the house as a kid, wandering and hoping to win at his secret game of hide-and-seek. Even as Chat Noir whenever an akuma lead him to his home, he could never find his father to protect him. He knew the house was large but it's not like it had any secret passages or anything.

  
_But what if it did?_

  
That was something interesting to consider. Of course, he has considered it before, but he brushed it off many times. If there was some rooms he didn't know about in this mansion he would have found them by now, wouldn't he have?

  
"Hey pal, while you were busy being who knows where you forgot about the most important food group. Again!"

  
"Say, Plagg, do you think there are any secret rooms in my house my father created for his own privacy? Like, what if we had a basement or something, this entire time?"

 

"Oh I'm sure there is, and he's probably hiding all of the best cheese!"

  
"Okay," Adrien laughed, "I may not know my father that well, but I know he's not hiding cheese." He pulled out a large rind from the refrigerator. "Will this do?"

Plagg stopped salivating and started devouring.

"Gross, Plagg."

His response was ignored. Adrien rolled his eyes, but then immediately thought of something. Deep down in his limited amount of memories with his father included one where he nearly got himself taken out of school. He DID find a secret room. Well, a secret safe, anyway. It was behind that Klimt-inspired image of his mother.

"I'll be right back, Plagg."

\----

**(back to present)**

Marinette inhaled and then let out a long breath slowly. She should be the first one to make it back. Chris should still be alone, waiting for everyone. She opened the door.

"SURPRISE!" Chris, Nino, Alya, AND Adrien shouted. Marinette nearly jumped out of her socks. She started sputtering but words were not making sense in her brain so they were all coming out as gibberish.

"Relax, girl! It's not a big deal if you're late to your own party, is it?"

"B-b-but!"

"I have the clips! Let's get started already!" Chris said across the room already jumping onto the couch with popcorn in hand.

"It was supposed to be a surprise! For you!"

"You know we always figure out each other's secrets," Alya said with a wink.

"W-what?!"

"Literally every birthday party we have for each other is a 'surprise', dummy! You really think I wouldn't put the pieces together?"

"R-right, haha!" Marinette felt her palms get sweatier than usual.

"Thanks for inviting me again, Marinette. I hope bringing some wine was okay? I'm really glad I came."

Marinette blinked. Adrien. She had just spoken to him ten minutes ago. He had been crying. How has he been holding it together this entire time? How long has he known?

Adrien noticed she didn't respond. "Uh, I also brought cheese? A friend of mine suggested it paired well with this--"

"I'm glad you could make it!" she gasped, not realizing she had been holding her breath.

"Me too." He smiled. Like, a real smile, as if he wasn't hiding anything at all. It was so warm that Marinette could bask in it for hours, but she sobered up quickly. "I just saw on the news--"

"Dude, yeah! Your father was akumatized, looking for you! You think you should let him know you're okay or something? Not that he deserves anything from you or anything but-"

"No."

The room was quiet except for Chris' munching on the popcorn. He only vaguely noticed that everyone seemed a little tense as they arrived, but he knew the key for everyone to relax was to start watching Alya's ridiculous mishap recordings. And maybe drinking some of that wine as well.

"I'm sorry, Nino, I didn't mean to cut you off. It's just, I left for a reason. He knows why I left. He should know I'm never coming back."

"I'm sorry, man," Nino put his hand on his back. "You know, you could have reached out sooner, I'd totally would have understood."

Marinette bit her lip.

"It's okay, Adrien," Alya said. "No forgiveness needed, there's nothing to be sorry for. Your dad has been a control freak your whole life, it's about time you got free!" She took the bottle from his hand and grabbed a corkscrew. "Now, if you could kindly grab a few glasses, it's time to celebrate my birthday!"

"And to watch every moment you tried to capture Ladybug and Chat Noir on film!" Chris shouted.

"Yeah, yeah let's get this over with," Alya laughed.

Nino and Alya joined Chris on the couch, and Marinette started to follow but hesitated.

"Hey Adrien?"

He looked up from staring at his glass.

She looked at him with gentle eyes.

He couldn't meet them. Instead, he focused on the floral illustrations stained on her skin. She could tell he was genuinely happy to be here earlier, but it was never easy for Adrien to hide how he was really feeling.

"What inspired you to get your tattoos?"

"Um," was all Marinette could said because she was interrupted with "YOU GUYS, HURRY UP ALREADY!"

"Sorry, I didn't mean to-"

"No it's fine I just-"

"You don't have to-"

"We're gonna start without you!"

"Adrien," Marinette said with an audacity she was unaware was within her, "I just wanted to say, that I know things aren't good right now, and, and maybe they never really were in the first place, and-and I know we really haven't spoken much since lycee, but I want you to know I'm here for you, okay? You can reach out to me too."

"Thank you, Marinette. That means more to me than you'll ever know."

Marinette squeaked because she just realized she was gripping his shoulders with both of her hands. She let go and nodded, then grabbed her drink and immediately jumped on the couch, right in between Nino and Alya.

"Nu-uh, girl, I need you and Nino on both sides of me, only with your combined strength will you be able to restrain me as I try to close my eyes!"

Marinette and Nino laughed and Chris just rolled his eyes.

Adrien was still lost in thought.

He wondered how his life could be so good and so awful all at once.

"Plagg?" he asked under his breath. "God, that little monster is probably raiding the fridge."

He walked over to sit on the couch with his friends. He was about to sit next to Chris but Alya shoved herself and Nino while her arm was around Marinette into Chris so that there was no more room on his side.

"Spot right there for you, buddy!" she grinned, while Marinette tried to absorb her face with the palms of her hands. Adrien shrugged and plopped down right next to her.

"Finally," Chris said as he clicked the remote. "Let the embarrassment COMMENCE!"

Adrien put his hand on Marinette's shoulder and said softly, "I'm here for you too, you know?"

Marinette's face shot out of her hands. _Whose embarrassment were they here to witness again?_

\-----

"Tikki?"

"Plagg?"

"DID YOU KNOW?"

"Did I know what?"

"YOU KNOW WHAT YOU KNOW NOW DID YOU KNOW BEFORE WHEN I DIDN'T KNOW BECAUSE IF YOU KNEW BEFORE I KNEW--"

"PLAGG" Tikki nearly shouted as she smothered him until he shut up. "It's news to me too, okay? Now why did Adrien decide it was a better idea not to reveal himself to Ladybug?"

"I don't know! I don't control that kid's mind!"

"She was almost ready, you know? Her heart has been aching since stopped superhero-ing-"

"HER heart has been aching? HAve you MET Adrien? God, that kid is a walking disaster, he is literally drowning himself in his own heartache Tikki I say we just tell them- How about right now while they're watching THEMSELVES on the screen?"

"Plagg! You know we can't meddle! They need to make that decision for themselves."

"Can we at the very least do more than subtly suggest?"

"They'll figure it out sooner or later, it's inevitable!"

"Yeah, I don't know about that Tikki, they never figured it out when they were in the same class, how are they supposed to figure it out now?"

"Hawkmoth is Adrien's father. Chat Noir's father!"

"What if we tried to save Nooroo ourselves?"

"Plagg, that is a ridiculous idea and you know it."

"Yeah I could barely stand to be in the presence of Gabriel before we knew he was a super villain with a miraculous."

"Just... try to convince Adrien revealing himself will help more than hurt. Tell him Ladybug is ready."

"But you said she is almost ready, besides, after Adrien talked to Ladybug about Hawkmoth I doubt he'd be ready now! He's already ashamed as Adrien, now he'll be ashamed as a superhero too, living under Hawkmoth's roof this entire time!"

"Plagg, Marinette and Ladybug are the same person. Adrien and Chat Noir are the same person. He can't be ashamed twice!"

"I'm just thinking like a clunkhead human would, and Adrien is probably the biggest clunkhead of them all."

"That's not very nice!"

"Well he is! He might be the nicest and best Chat Noir I've ever had but he is a DUNCE, okay? Look me in the eye and tell me Marinette isn't the same!"

"Marinette isn't a clunkhead!"

"She's a dunce though, right?"

"Only a little bit of a dunce."

"SEE!"

\---

Marinette's embarrassment faded as they started watching the videos. At first they were all having a good time, laughing at Alya's wild conspiracies and ridiculous comments, but gradually the only person laughing left was Chris. Everyone was watching the footage of the akumas, Ladybug, and Chat Noir, and the other heroes that came into play occasionally. Alya was feeling disappointed in herself for not being able to crack the case of Hawkmoth. He had terrorized Paris for years and with all her footage, what more could she need? She was even one of the heroes for God's sake! And now how long would it be before they solved the mystery of Hawkmoth's return? She wished she could have discussed more with Ladybug but the second the fight was over and they returned their miraculouses, she took off.

Nino on the other hand was just feeling more tense. At first his hand was casually resting on Alya's leg but now it was firmly glued. He was thinking more about Adrien and Gabriel. Adrien never really knew what it was like to have real, loving parents and yet here he was, somehow the kindest and most thoughtful dude he ever met. Sure he was a dunce most of the time despite being one of the smartest friends he's ever had but Nino could not understand who Adrien really was. Every time he thought about growing up in his shoes he couldn't have dealt with it for more than 3 seconds. Adrien gave up so much of his time just to please his father his entire life! Did that make Nino selfish, somehow? It made Adrien so blindsided sometimes. Okay, like, All The Time. _Did he even ever figure out Marinette was in love with him when they were in college?_ It seemed like everyone knew but him. He glanced at him briefly, noticing Marinette's concerned eyes were on him as well.

Adrien let himself sink into the couch while he focused on the screen. A part of him wanted to not watch any of this at all, because all it could do was remind him of his father, but the first video brought a smile to his face. It was the first time he was Chat Noir and when he met Ladybug. He was thrilled to have superpowers and to have a way to get out of the house without being recognized. He remembered Ladybug once telling him about that day, how she almost gave up her miraculous. The responsibility felt too heavy in her hands and all he could think about how fun it would be the center of attention as his true self without causing a racket with the media or his father. Was it selfish of him to bask in that freedom? He also remembered Ladybug saying she almost gave the miraculous to Alya, the Ladyblogger, because she seemed more fit for the job. He wondered about that a little bit. _How would she know anything about Alya in the first place?_

His mind quickly fell to the screen again as he watched another moment where he sacrificed himself to protect Ladybug. Ladybug's face... was contorted. Adrien's eyes began to well up a little bit. Did he really deserve anything from her, even her concern? He could never reveal himself to her now. What good would it do? Would she fall in love with him like had always imagined or would she hold his hand out of pity? Or worse, would she be angry with him, that he deceived her? He put the now-empty glass down on the coffee table in front of them and quickly wiped his eyes on his shirt. Maybe drinking was a bad idea. He got up to pour himself a second glass.

Marinette bit her lip. Her stomach was in so many knots there was no way she could drink anything tonight. She probably wouldn't even be able to handle eating the cake she baked. All the videos were starting to make sense. So many of the akumatized victims were people Gabriel knew, or at least, knew of. She didn't think he knew baby August though, he akumatized that baby countless times. She laughed. It was cruel to akumatize a baby, but also absolutely ridiculous, especially The Same Baby. The Fashion Designer Idol Gabriel Agreste, akumatized a baby because what, he can't think of anything else? Or what about the amount of times he akumatized Msr. Ramier, a man obsessed with pigeons? This is what Gabriel Agreste was up to all this time, probably in some dark hidden lair that he designed himself no less, the dramatic dickhead-

Oh my God he probably DOES have a lair! She immediately looked at Adrien. That's probably how he found out, he finally found his lair, and by golly it was probably in that mansion, it probably has loads of secret rooms which is why Adrien wouldn't have discovered it until now. She really needed to discuss strategies with Chat. And perhaps Adrien too. She didn't want to involve him but he might be their best chance at defeating Hawkmoth. Gabriel. Gabemoth. She looked at Adrien again. He looked like he was about to cry again. She wanted to hug him like she did as Ladybug but she couldn't. She just couldn't! Not in front of everyone. She wanted to kiss his face too. Kiss his tears away. Make out and forget about their troubles.  
_GOD what am I thinking? Get a hold of yourself, Marinette!_

\---

 _How is it that I always wanted to be with the big kids and then always end up being a 5th wheel?_ Chris thought as he watched his brother grip Alya's leg and Marinette make googoo eyes at Adrien. _Whatever, at least Alya's younger sisters aren't here screaming their heads off, they're always so loud._  
As he watched the clips with them he did start to notice the tension increasing in the room, but not the kind of tension he was expecting. Everyone seemed... stressed out. And sad. Perhaps these videos weren't a good idea after all, especially after Hawkmoth's return. They of course had been planning this party for months before any of the crazy stuff started happening again but he didn't think about changing anything because of it. Practically everyone in Paris had been akumatized at least once so everyone had something to fear except... except Marinette. And Adrien, now that he thought about it. Neither of them had ever been akumatized. How was that even possible? It's not like their emotions were always in check! Marinette was constantly freaking out, he remembered from when she babysat him when he was little. She was crazy. And Adrien... _well I guess Adrien was pretty chill_. There's no way he could have miraculously avoided being akumatized at least once though, like, his dad made him feel like shit, like, All The Time! Was there a way he could have...miraculously... avoided..it? Chris stared at the screen with his eyes on Ladybug and Chat Noir. He listened and watched intently to their antics and then Adrien got up. Chris stared at him. He was clearly upset but didn't want to mention it so he left the room. Marinette was watching him with her big blue eyes and then suddenly cursing herself.

Chris didn't laugh, he chortled. _There's just no way._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The party shall continue in the next chapter. I would have put it all in this chapter but I'm impatient with sharing.


	11. Holding Back

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Some more Nathanael thoughts and some more Adrienette. I'm sorry there's so much Sadrien but like, as cheerful as he always seems to be he has to have breaking point, right? Poor guy.
> 
> Also, you get to see the title of the fic inserted in this chapter. Kind of . Anyway.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Behold, a semi-drunk blubbering Adrien.
> 
> Also here is an unfinished drawing from one of the first chapters:  
> https://cellabelladoodles.tumblr.com/post/187496620778/some-progress-on-this-illustration-ill-likely
> 
> Sometimes I draw ML, and when I do, it's unfinished...

Juleka looked over Nathanael's shoulder. "Nice."

"You think?"

  
Nathanael had sketched the madness he was able to capture a glimpse of in a few pages of his sketchbook. He was surprised by how Ladybug AND Chat Noir had abandoned Rena Rouge and Carapace for the majority of the battle, but he really couldn't tell what was happening. The akuma was looking for someone and it was probably the nastiest akumas he had ever seen. Whenever the akumas take a form that isn't quite human it gave Nathanael the heebie jeebies. It was already scary enough that something magical was happening, transforming people into heroes and villains, but when it mutated your appearance to the point of not being recognized as human? What if you got stuck like that? That could be interesting. He liked that idea. He wrote some notes down in his sketchbook.

Juleka mumbled something.

  
"I didn't catch that."

"You should show Marc."

"Oh. Uh, yeah, I guess he'd like it. He'd probably have better ideas, honestly." 

Nathanael and Marc, once they became friends, they were nearly inseparable in college but they kind of drifted in lycee. One of his first tattoos was in honor of him, actually. Before they had become friends, Nathanael had only assumed the worst about him because of a misunderstanding, which is how Marc first got akumatized. The tattoo was an illustration of a black and white paper airplane. He wanted to be reminded to not judge a book by its cover, that eventually the genuineness of others would be unveiled. It was also a reminder for him to not give up on his own talent. Marc was too humble for his own good which pushed Nathanael to be better. However, as close as they were, Marc wasn't the greatest at communicating how he really felt about anything and Nathanael was never an expert at figuring people out. He was getting better though, at least, he thought so. He was having an entertaining time observing Adrien figure out how to be an adult. His emotions were always plastered on his face loud and clear. It was obvious Adrien resented his father but felt guilty about it. It was obvious he had deeply cared for Marinette in the past and definitely still cares just as much, if not more. There were so many things about Adrien that were obvious but it was clear he was always holding something back. Naturally people hide certain things about themselves, or withhold certain information for a purpose, like how Nathanael was keeping specific facts about Marinette from Adrien, and the other way around. _What was Adrien holding back?_

\-----

Adrien poured himself another glass of wine, completely ignoring the cheese he brought to go with it. He didn't want to watch the rest of the clips but he didn't want to leave either. Being among friends felt safe. He knew Nathanael wasn't home so going back to the apartment would mean solitude, apart from Plagg. Drinking two glasses didn't feel like enough to numb what he was feeling.

Marinette tried to focus more on the clips to study Hawkmoth's decisions. So many of the surrounded her it made her question if he already knew her identity. Out of all of the schools in Paris, their school had the most akumatized victims. Well, it made enough sense since the akuma attacks only started around when Adrien started going to school. But why? That couldn't be the reason he started seeking out the other miraculouses. Obviously Gabriel liked to be in control but Adrien going to school was hardly rebellious enough to turn his father into a super villain. She knew Adrien could help answer some of these questions but she didn't want to press him too hard, like she was accusing him of something. It just hurt that she could only talk to him about it as Ladybug, that she couldn't talk to him right now even though he was only one room away. Did he tell Chat Noir more information? That might be a better way of finding out. She also needed to talk to Master Fu.

\----

Chris had a million things running through his head. Ladybug and Chat Noir, Paris' beloved superheroes, have been in his life directly, this entire time and it was clear they had kept it a secret from their closest friends. Was it a secret to themselves as well? That's probably why he had never made the connection, why NOBODY made the connection. Whenever he saw Adrien and Marinette interact it was a cringe-filled wave of second-hand embarrassment. At least, that's how it was when they were younger. She used to be obsessed with Adrien but could barely even speak to him. It was always funny to watch, especially when Alya was nearly always the one at fault. She would put them next to each other at any given opportunity, just like she did today while they were sitting on the couch. Either Marinette and Adrien were excellent actors (they weren't), or they don't know each other's secret identities.

_Did he have a responsibility to tell them?_

"Hey Marinette," Chris asked, "Do you want to check on Adrien? He didn't look so good getting up earlier."

  
Marinette nodded, not even looking at Chris. She was still wrapped up in what she was thinking about, but she got up to go check on Adrien. It definitely had been at least 10 minutes since he had gotten up.

"Adrien?"

  
He was sitting on a stool at the counter with a third glass of wine and a blank stare. Marinette sat on the stool next to him. "Are you okay? You don't have to stay, you know. You can leave if you're not feeling all right."

"If I leave I'll be alone and he'll find me."

"Your father?"

"He'll try to recruit me."

Marinette didn't know what to say to that.

"I know it's probably personal but can I hear about your tattoos? I feel like we really lost touch after lycee and I've really missed you. Like, I MISSED you, I wouldn't ever have expected you to be that kind of person but you are and I want to know what that means for you. I missed you like I lost you. Like I let go and when we ran into each other you were almost a stranger. I need to know about all of this!" he gestured the general shape of Marinette's body and blubberingly continued, "who ARE you, anyway? Who am I, anyway, a super son of a super villain? What does that even mean? Am I supposed to seek out justice or revenge? His plan is useless now, why would he bother? I mean he's really smart, wouldn't he have known what his plan would have done? Every wish comes with a price that balances it out! If he wished my mom back to life then one of two things could have happened: either he offs himself leaving me with one parent I barely know, or he loses me. Was he prepared to sacrifice himself or was he prepared to sacrifice his only son? Did he even love me in the first place?" 

At this point, Adrien wasn't crying, he was crying out. Marinette had gently guided him outside so they could sit on the front porch. Every sentence that escaped Adrien's breath gave Marinette a mini-heart attack, but she knew she needed to stay calm and just listen to him. She handed him a glass of water to trade the glass of wine. 

"God I'm sorry, Marinette. I almost never drink alcohol. I didn't think that-"

"It's okay, Adrien. It's important not to bottle things up."

Adrien laughed as he wiped snot from his nose onto his sleeve. "Was that a pun?"

Marinette smiled. "Okay, you've asked me enough times. I will tell you about my tattoos."

"You will?"

"Only because you'll be drunk enough not to remember later."

"I've had 3 glasses of wine, tops!"

"Oh, well, never mind then," Marinette pretended to get up to go back inside but Adrien grabbed her arm in desperation. "Please?" he pleaded.

"Do you promise to forget everything tomorrow?"

"I could never forget anything about you no matter how intoxicated I am."

Marinette's face flushed. "W-what do you mean?"

"I mean you're one of the most amazing people I have ever met! And secretly I've always wanted to be just like you," he paused to look at her. To really look at her, but his vision felt slightly blurred. Everything seemed a little out of focus. It was only 3 glasses of wine! He took both of her hands and without thinking he placed a gentle but slightly sloppy kiss on her knuckles. Continuing his sentence he derailed from with his own thoughts he said, "surrounded by people who love you."

Marinette sat there, stunned, not knowing know what to do or what to think. Here was the guy she used to be completely and utterly obsessed with, the teen heart throb of Paris, drunkingly admitting he always wanted to be like her. He looked up to her? How was that even possible when she barely even felt noticed by him? And what did he mean "surrounded by people who love you"? What kind of b.s. is that? Everyone loved Adrien!  
"My favorite part of visiting your parents' bakery from time to time was seeing a new photo of your family up on the wall. They always had a different one hanging every month and every single one of them is amazing. You always looked so happy. And your parents too. They're so full of joy. There's not a single photo of my father and I where we're both smiling. I don't think he knows how to smile." Adrien hiccuped into a chuckle.

  
There was still some wine left in Adrien's glass that Marinette had taken. You know what? _Screw it_. Marinette chugged what was left and took one of Adrien's hands and placed above the left side of her chest. Above her heart. Adrien's reaction was a little slow which gave enough time for Marinette to interrupt. "This isn't my first but it's one of my first tattoos," she explained as she lessened her grip on his hand. "It's about you."

Adrien's eyes widened with a mixture of confusion and awe. Marinette finally let go of his hand, feeling a little embarrassed by her impulsiveness.

"Maybe I was surrounded by people who loved me, Adrien, but you were surrounded too. I'm sure you know that."

"I'm... actually not sure if I knew that or not," he scratched the back of his neck sheepishly. "I love all of my friends but I guess I never felt the absolute certainty? Like there was always a little voice in the back of my head whispering 'you're not a good enough friend'. I don't know if I ever earned anyone's love."

"You can't."

Adrien looked hurt.

"You can't earn love, Adrien. That's something that can only be freely given."

Adrien looked down at his miraculous briefly and then looked up, watching the occasional cars go by. He was starting to tear up again.

Marinette was tracing her tattoos with her finger. It was something she did to calm herself down or to mentally prepare herself for something she didn't feel ready to do. "Every flower I have tattooed on my body," she began, "are about the people I love. They remind me of my roots and what I'm living for."

Adrien refused to interrupt her. He wanted to hear everything.

"Some of them are even about people I have loved that I wanted to forget."

Okay, he couldn't help himself. "Why would you get a tattoo about someone you wanted to forget? Tattoos are forever, aren't they?"

  
"You make a good point," she laughed in a fragile tone. God, she needed to tell him. "I guess I could never let go of the hope that maybe one day they'd love me back. I just... I just had to be patient enough." Marinette's mind wandered to Chat Noir, whom she thought she'd finally get to meet, for real. But he seemed to have changed his mind. Adrien's mind wandered to Ladybug. Love is freely given, huh? He sighed. _If his father was incapable of real love, what did that make him capable of?_

  
Marinette slapped his shoulder. "Don't you dare think things like that!"

_Did I say that out loud?_

"Yes you did you complete buffoon. Don't ever let that thought cross your mind again. You are one of the kindest, most caring, and loving people I have ever met, but also, the most oblivious. I'm going to spell it out for you. You. Are. Not. Gabriel. Agreste. You are Adrien! ADRIEN AGRESTE! And I love you! I MEAN WE LOVE YOU! We are your friends and we love you. So don't forget that, okay?" Marinette buried her face in hands. God, she was never going to be able to tell him, not even if it was just in the past? Was it really that embarrassing to be in love with Adrien Agreste? What would Chat think? He constantly professed his love to her while she was in constant verbal denial toward Adrien. Would he even understand?

"Thank you, Marinette."

"For what, exactly?"

"For reminding me that I'm my own person. I guess I really needed to hear that. And you cheered me up, so thanks."

"You're welcome."

"So what kind of flower is it?"

"What?"

"The flower tattoo about me. What kind is it?"

"It's a yellow tulip and an anemone," she replied blankly, hoping he would not ask her what they meant.

"They are very pretty. I'm surprised I didn't recognize the tulip though."

"They're heavily stylized so not every flower is completely recognizable, I wouldn't blame yourself."

"Did Nathanael draw that one?"

Marinette's face burned. Did Adrien keep in touch with Nathanael? That seemed out of the ordinary. "Um no, actually, I asked Juleka for this one."

"I like her style."

"Me too."

Their shared silence was interrupted by Alya who demanded their return via sending Chris out to retrieve them. More like Chris volunteered to see if he could catch them in the act of turning into their alter-egos but he knew it was unlikely.

"Actually, I was just going to tell Alya I wasn't feeling too well and that I needed to go home." Marinette didn't want to leave Adrien, but he would be safe staying here without her. 

"I can walk with you, if you want?" Adrien suggested, not wanting to depart her presence.

"No, no, you don't have to do that. Please stay with Alya and Nino and Chris, you guys really need to catch up anyway, right? Just... don't drink any more wine, okay?" she half smiled.

"Sure. That sounds like a good idea."

Marinette went inside to bid her goodbyes to Alya and Nino while Chris kept Adrien company before she left. 

"Did you tell each other yet?"

"Told who what yet, Chris?"

"I guess that answers that question, c'mon let's go back inside."

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next perhaps Adrien will learn the meaning behind yellow tulips and anemones. I'll tell you here anyway. Yellow tulips can mean cheerfulness and sunshine, but also can mean hopeless love. Anemones can symbolize faded hope and being forsaken. Just your average bag of angsty mixed feelings. Enjoy.


	12. A Hint of Mistakes

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nathanael and Adrien are still roommates. Marinette still has tea with Master Fu sometimes. Adrien still works at the bakery.  
> and...  
> a wild Chloe appears!

Nathanael walked into the apartment to find Adrien on the phone with someone. He was sprawled out on the couch. He did an odd half-wave at Nathanael. He waved back, awkwardly. _Was Adrien drunk?_ Whatever phone call he was on didn't seem like a complete result of that, but it was strange. The marigolds were on the coffee table by his feet. He changed his position and began petting them. Nathanael didn't want to get involved but... he couldn't stop himself.

  
"Are... are you okay?"

  
Adrien hung up the phone. "S'flower lady," Adrien mumbled.

  
"Why were you calling the flower shop at 9 pm? Were they even open?"

  
"No," he flailed back on the couch. "I wanted to learn more about flowers. For Marinette," and he gestured to his chest. "She's amazing," he sighed with a dopey grin. After Marinette had left the party Adrien stayed to hang out with Alya, Nino, and Chris until they ended up kicking him out. It's not that they didn't want him there anymore, but it WAS getting late and Adrien... had elected to ignore Marinette's advice about drinking. He didn't feel as sad after she had left, she had cheered him up after all, reminded him he was his own person and no matter who his father was he could still be himself. He wasn't a bad person. Gabriel using superpowers to terrorize the city did not influence Adrien's choices when he was growing up so why should it affect him now? He acknowledged it was probably the alcohol itself reasoning with him, but Alya and Nino had poured themselves another drink and Adrien wanted to be a part of the friend group. He was with friends. It was okay. Chris was unusually quiet the rest of the party but Adrien hardly noticed.

  
"I didn't even even know anema...anemamone... nemononies were flowers. I thought that was Nemo's house. Underwater!" Adrien looked like he was talking to the marigolds now.

  
"What did you want to know, exactly?" Nathanael asked him, unsure of whether or not Marinette would kill him for admitting anything.

  
"She has so many, but she has two about me," he paused and then pointed while looking down, "right here." He circled a spot on his chest. "I'm not sure what they mean though. She must have at least three for each of her friends, that's how amazing she is."

Nathanael knew in fact, that was NOT the case, but yes, Marinette was indeed amazing. That part was true. He doubted she had any tattoos about him, after all, but he knew several, not only two, of those tattoos were inspired by Adrien or her infatuation of him. She tried to be secretive about it but the way she'd describe whoever it was that inspired those flowers, it was exactly how she described her feelings for Adrien. It was easy to overhear things in the parlor. Her flower garden was a bit of an obsession, or at least, symbolic of one. As much as he wanted to keep putting off the inevitable he felt compelled to throw Adrien a bone, and, he WAS curious.

"What were the flowers? Did she tell you?"

"A yellow tulip and a...nonenonie."

"Right," Nathanael replied, thinking a little bit. Marinette had several anemonies illustrated on her skin, he knew what most of them meant to her, vaguely, but the yellow tulip? This was not a tattoo he designed. That was one of Juleka's. Unusual, too. Juleka rarely worked with bright colors. Tulips had a variety of meanings, most of them being cheerful, but yellow was always a specific and unusual symbol in flowers. It could mean friendship, or jealousy, or even something like.. hopeless love. _Shit, Marinette, you are incredibly predictable._

"So Marinette didn't explain what they meant to you?"

"About me?"

"Right."

"No. I don't think so. I don't remember."

"I wish I could help you Adrien, but I really think you should ask Marinette what they mean. Those flowers have a lot of different meanings, you'll have to ask her which ones they mean to her."

"Can you at least give me a hint?"

Nathanael sighed. What the hell. "Cheerfulness, for one. But also hopelessness. Lost. Being forgotten about. Maybe jealousy? I'm not sure, which is why you should ask her."

That was all too much for drunk Adrien.

"I really think you should just go to sleep, Adrien. You can look up flower meanings in the morning."

He could call the flower shop in the morning. Yes. That was a better idea. It was too hard to think right now.

"Goodnight, Adrien."

 

\-----

 

"Get that OUT of my FACE, Sabrina!" Chloe shrieked as she slapped the tablet away from her.

"We could send a message through the Ladyblog, I'll ask Alya-"

"You will be asking NOTHING," she said through her teeth, marching up to the roof of her father's hotel. "I need to be alone right now. Do not come up here for any reason."

Sabrina watched her go up. She knew it was always difficult for Chloe to accept standing down as Queen Bee. Ladybug explained it was too dangerous that Hawkmoth knew her identity, but for her to have found another wielder of the bee miraculous other than her? It felt insulting. Chloe was the perfect wielder of the bee miraculous but when watching the footage of the most recent battle it was clear that she had found someone more worthy. It stung.

  
Of course, it stung Chloe the most. She had always seen Ladybug as more than a friend, a role-model, someone she could aspire to be, or at the very least, work along side. And she had! She had made sure of it! And then... and then Hawkmoth took his leave of absence. Ladybug made her rounds to every one of the superheroes she had given a miraculous too, or at least, she ASSUMED she spoke to all of them, to explain she wouldn't be around anymore, unless of course, Hawkmoth or another form of evil decided to show up. She wouldn't be lending anyone a miraculous anymore. No one. She explained that specifically to Chloe, that no one would ever wield a miraculous ever again. And just a few days ago Stormy Weather showed up. It had been several years, but Ladybug and Chat Noir showed up just the same. Yesterday, however, was different. Ladybug and Chat Noir were there of course, but she recruited others to wield miraculouses! Rena Rouge got recruited the most often so this she expected but in the last moment of the battle a distinctly new member of the team appeared, using HER miraculous. Chloe was Queen Bee, not this... this RANDOM GIRL clearly unfit for the position! And who was the akuma? None other than Gabriel Agreste looking for his son, and WHO knew Adrien and his family since she was born? She did! Ladybug knew this, didn't she? How could she ever forget about her?

_Hello, Queen Bee, I am Hawkmoth..._

 

 

\-----

 

 

"Sorry I'm late," Marinette said as she bustled in.

"You can never be late for tea, Ladybug," Master Fu replied.

"I'm pretty sure my mother would argue with you on that one but I appreciate it. Hi Wayzz!"

"Greetings, Marinette!"

"Did you speak with Chat Noir yet?"

"Um, not exactly, no. But he did tell me who Hawkmoth is. Indirectly."

"Oh?"

"He insisted that it was better that way but I couldn't see why until, until he told me. I mean, I can't see why not revealing our identities will continue to keep us safe but I do see why it was better that he tell me instead of Chat."

"Who?"

"Adrien... Adrien Agreste," Marinette breathed in sharply, "Gabriel Agreste is Hawkmoth."

Master Fu immediately sat down. Wayzz's face was extremely troubled.

"I had only a small suspicion a long time ago when you had found Guardian book in his possession, and even then I couldn't rule it out because he was akumatized... it felt almost if he was trying to protect himself. But I couldn't be sure. It always seems to work out this way, doesn't it Wayzz?"

"What do you mean, Master?" Marinette asked.

What Master Fu meant was that whenever a miraculous wielder is chosen, they are nearly always somehow directly linked to whomever was using another miraculous for wrong-doing. He meant that everything works out for a reason and that Adrien, chosen as Chat Noir, while he did not see it at the time, was the right choice not only for who he was inside, but also who he was connected to.

"I should have seen it before but I chose to observe instead of act. I'm worried that was a mistake."

"We really couldn't have known, I didn't know that Hawkmoth could have akumatized himself!"

"I underestimated his knowledge of the Miraculous."

"I'm just... I'm really worried about Adrien. He's been really torn up about it and I don't know how to be there for him as his friend. He told me, as Ladybug, and, he's keeping this secret to himself otherwise. It must hold so much weight on his soul. I wish--"

"Marinette. We must contact Chat Noir immediately. It is imperative now you know who each other are."

"W-what! But what about Adrien? I don't even know where he's staying, oh my God why didn't I think to ask him that! I mean, Hawkmoth knows that he knows!"

"There is no time, Marinette," he said sternly.

She nodded, and swallowed the frog in her throat. "Tikki? Transforme--"

"OH, LADY _BUG_!" The building shook. Marinette's heart sank. _Not another one._

 

 

\------

 

 

It was a difficult morning to say the least, but Adrien managed to trudge through his hangover and get himself to the bakery. He smiled at the family photo that was hanging on the wall. It was a recent photo, or at least, within the last couple of years he thought. Marinette was wearing a tank top, revealing many of the flowers she had illustrated on her skin, including the ones she had pointed out to him last night. His memories were kind of fuzzy, but remembered her talking about them briefly, and her cheering him up. God, he was never going to drink again.

He DID tell Ladybug about his father. It didn't feel true until he had spoken it aloud to her face, and now that did she did know there was no need to reveal their identities. It might be to their advantage if they did, but what chance did he have with Ladybug if he was the son of Hawkmoth? He didn't want her pity twice over.

"Whatever's on your mind son, knead it into this dough, all right? It's best therapy there is around here!" and Tom Dupain slapped the bread dough in front of him. Flour poofed onto his face.

"I think Plagg would beg to differ," Adrien muttered, eyeing his kwami stuffing his face in the corner of a shelf stacked with a variety of cheeses. Tom was right, though. Kneading dough was exactly what he needed right now. It was exhausting, but imagining the bread baby as his father's face was not hard at all.  
He slapped the dough on the counter and the ground shook.

"Mighty arm you got there, huh, Adrien?" Tom asked hesitantly, but the ground shook again, without Adrien slapping Gabriel's imaginary face on the counter.

"WHERE ARE YOU, LADYBUG?" a voice bellowed from outside.

  
Plagg dropped the cheese he nearly swallowed.

"Stay inside, son, I'm going to find Sabine!"

Adrien caught a glimpse of a large yellow and black leg pass by the window. That... can't be good.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's been a long time for Chloe to ever wield a miraculous or try to fight off Hawkmoth... this time she just couldn't take it. 
> 
> Nathanael will be more involved, later.
> 
> Chris... well... you'll see.
> 
> A reveal is coming. Eventually.
> 
> Also, I've been putting off writing the next chapter because my head got wrapped up in another AU idea that I'm really excited about. It's something I haven't seen yet and I'm trying to keep it in character and still original but it def changes the dynamic of the series. I want to write it by the episode, but not necessarily keep every episode. Not sure if I want to write it in full or just give a list of details/plot. Or do a comic kind of like Scarlet Lady. I'm going to flesh it out first to see what I think.
> 
> I'm not ready to discuss the details yet, but soon....


	13. Prolonged Pauses

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A Reveal

Adrien hopped onto a rooftop to get an overall assessment of the akuma.

  
"Chat Noir! Thank God you're here. I don't think Chloe was thrilled I didn't choose her as Queen Bee."

  
"That's an understatement. Why didn't you, by the way? Choose her?"

"You know we she can't be Queen Bee anymore, everyone knows who she is! It gives us a disadvantage."

 

"Right, that whole secret identity thing is purrty important."

"Speaking of which, I spoke to Master Fu."

Adrien's heart sunk into his stomach. 

"I mean, I spoke to Adrien, and Master Fu. I... I can't believe Gabriel Agreste has been behind these acts of terror the entire time. I'm really worried about Adrien--"

"LADYBUG, COME OUT COME OUT WHERE EVER YOU ARE!"

"This conversation is going to have to wait-"

"NO, Chat!" Marinette shouted. "I mean, it can't! Master Fu said it can't wait."  
Chat didn't respond.

"As soon as I told him about Hawkmoth, he got all mysterious but his face was like really worried and he said that we needed to reveal our identities to each other as soon as possible."

Chat just stared at her.

"I ...I want to, but I need you to be okay with it too, okay? I feel like our whole lives it's all you ever wanted but as soon as I'm ready you keep running away."  
Marinette bit her lip. He still wasn't responding. "Look, no matter who we are, we're still partners, okay? You're still my best friend."

"After," Chat decided. "After we defeat Chloe, after we defeat my f-, er, Hawkmoth, I'll be ready."

"But you insisted to defeat him we needed to our identities!"

"No," Adrien said, "I said I needed to reveal my identity if I were to tell you who Hawkmoth was. But that's not the case now. Adrien told you." He just didn't feel ready yet. How could they defeat Hawkmoth if Ladybug knew who he was? 

"But Master Fu said--"

"He also said I would know when the time was right and that time is not now, okay?"

"Chat!"

"We have an akuma to fight, don't we!"

"I'm... I'm not even sure if that's an akuma."

"What do you mean?"

"Master Fu and I talked about it, it's a possibility that the peacock miraculous is in use as well."

 _That's impossible. The peacock miraculous was damaged._

"Who do you think would be yielding the peacock miraculous?"

"I'm.. I'm not sure. I don't know Gabriel well enough."

"I do, and that's impossible."

"What do you mean?"

"The peacock miraculous is damaged. Whoever yields it suffers a consequence."

"What are you talking about?" 

"It's why Gabriel is after our miraculouses in the first place but we both know with that ultimate power comes a price." Adrien practically spat out the last part of that sentence.

"He wants to fix a miraculous?"

"Not exactly. Anyway, it doesn't matter. We need to stop Chloe."

"It DOES matter and you KNOW IT!" Ladybug stomped her foot. "I am SICK of this. Itis time, okay? Tikki?"

"Ladybug, don't!" 

"DETRANSFORMEMOI."

Chat tackled her as she detransformed, and shut his eyes.

"Chat, detransform. Please?"

Marinette felt naked. Chat was hugging her, refusing to look at her. Refusing to see who she really was. She was taking a huge risk but she didn't know what else to do. Chat was not listening. Would he listen to Marinette? She would have to find out.

"Chat Noir, you really need to listen to her," Tikki said, "It's very important that you know each other's identities. It's going to help both of you, in more ways than one."

"What does that even mean?" Marinette garbled. Crap, she was crying. She wasn't supposed to cry. God, this wasn't fair. 

"Tikki, you know who I am."

"Obviously."

"Convince me that Ladybug won't pity me over who I am. I know it probably is best if she knows who I am, we could use it to our advantage, but I... don't know how to face her. I don't know how to tell her that all along I never figured it out. We could have defeated Hawkmoth so long ago and maybe our lives would have been different. How could she continue to be my partner, let alone fall in love with me, if she finds out who I really am?"

Tikki blinked. Here they were, both Ladybug and Chat Noir, crying over nearly nothing. If they would just...

"Chat Noir, I would like to speak to Plagg."

"Fine." Adrien held Marinette tightly so there was no way she could get out of his grasp to see his identity. "Plagg, detransformemoi."

"So you finally revealed yourselves? Thank God that's over, what's up Sugarcube?"

Tikki nearly tackled him and started whispering. 

Marinette tried to wrestle her way out of Adrien's grip but it was useless. Chloe was going to find them sooner or later and she did not want to be caught by her detransformed. 

"What's going on, Tikki?" Marinette practically pleaded.

Adrien loosened his grip only slightly but Tikki and Plagg took the moment to their advantage. They got in between them and shoved them apart, making them fly about 10 feet away from each other.

Adrien still had his eyes closed but Marinette's eyes were wide open and she had to put her hand over her mouth to stop herself from audibly gasping. Thousands of thoughts were spinning above her head. How could she pity him when they were both equally so oblivious, so idiotic? How could she blame him? What he must have been going through the past few weeks! Months? When did he find out? When did he find out he had been fighting his father all along? That the closest he ever was to him was when he had him in a headlock? More importantly, how could Gabriel do this? Why? Tears were streaming down his face despite his stubbornness at keeping his eyes shut.

"Adrien..." Plagg said, and then a little more softly, "would you just look?"

Marinette walked over to him so she was by his side instead of facing him and put her hand on his shoulder. She was going to try reveal herself a bit more gently.

"I lied before," she said, as she sat down so that their legs were touching. "Mostly by omission. But I'll explain."

Plagg was utter befuddled but Tikki knew exactly where this was going and pulled him aside so they could have a moment. Adrien stayed silent.

 

"The first one I ever got was of three flowers. Anenome, statice, and ...catnip. They symbolize a mixture of fading hope, anticipation, and never forgetting you or our partnership."

Adrien opened his eyes only to stare at the ground on the other side of him.

"The next one I have is a symbol of someone made of literal sunshine," Marinette bit her lip, not completely ready for a confession. "Someone who I was in love with for a long time. I never was able to tell him because I thought he was in love with someone else. I didn't want to him to be unhappy because of me. The one next to it was a flower that was supposed to remind me to that my love for him was in the past. I never realized how much they'd all intertwine."

Marinette took his hand, despite him still not turning to face her. She placed it on her chest, just as she had done at Alya's party. "Yellow tulips and anenomes," she whispered, wiping tears with her other hand.

Adrien's head whipped around immediately to see if what he was hearing was actually real, but the ground shook as he did so, causing him to collapse into Marinette. Chloe was still causing terror. They REALLY needed to get going and they REALLY needed a plan.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> so in my AU Mayura never happened. Nathalie was never quite as dedicated to the cause. Nathalie was never akumatized so Catalyst never happened.
> 
> So uh... good luck with that "akuma" fight, guys! isn't fun to be so emotionally charged while fighting your old bully / first friend / father / future father-in-law? yea
> 
> also my arm has been killing me so it's nearly impossible to type. trying to rest it


End file.
